Star Wars: Jedi Reborn
by Aria777
Summary: Rey arrives on Ach-To to start her training with Luke Skywalker. After he places an impossible task on her, she begins to questions his motives. More secrets are revealed about her past, and she begins to question everything. She decides to place her trust in none other than Kylo Ren, but can she really turn the monster into a man once again? Episode 8/9 combined.
1. Chapter 1: Greetings

Chapter 1: Greetings

(Disclaimer: I do not own star wars or any such character. Everything in this story is pure fiction, and for off writing purposes only).

Now that I have that out of the way, I can tell you readers a bit about my story! This is the first of many to come. Not quite sure how many chapters it will be, but I can tell you I already know the time span.

That being said, a few of my key plot elements I have based off of fan theories I believe to be true. Other scenes are what I think may happen in the next movie. _**So… spoiler alert.**_

* * *

The planet of Ach-To was very small, but what it lacked in size, it made up for it in other ways. Islands spread across the planet- some very large, and some quiet small. The rest was engorged by a blue sea, with hundreds of sea creatures that rarely made an appearance above water.

Being in the far reaches of this galaxy, Ach-To was not a part of any trade route, and had no inhabitants, besides the few on the island of Illa…

Rey held out Luke's lightsaber. Neither spoke. She couldn't quite make out his expression- was it confusion or recognition?

Luke made the next move. He paced forward and put his hand out. She placed the lightsaber in his palm. Inspecting it, he rotated it, admiring the marks and etchings. When he was satisfied, and with a small smile, he spoke.

"What's your name?" he asked. His voice was soft but loud enough for her to hear.

"Rey."

"Rey…" he seemed to ponder for a moment but snapped out of it. "Thank you." He gestured towards the light saber. "It's been… a very, very long time since I've seen this. I never thought…" he let his words fall.

"Come. Follow me. You have traveled a long way for an old man." He turned and walked the opposite way that Rey had come.

This was her chance for answers. But for a moment, her feet wouldn't move. For some reason, there was the slightest doubt to follow him. He was a legend-but she had never met him. The comfort of the Millennium Falcon beckoned, but she realized she had come very far for answers. So she followed.

They made an immediate right past the enormous grassy hill and walked up stone stairs. On the left was an open glen, one of the only flats she had seen on the island. In it there was a makeshift tent, held down with rope and stone, and a hut beside it. An extinguished fire pit sat in the middle. It wasn't much, but Rey was used to living with the bare minimum, so she could tell when something was home.

They had been walking in silence, but Rey had so many questions. "How long have you been here? Did you find the lost Jedi Temple?"

He gave a chuckle, something he probably hadn't done in a long time. "I will answer all of your questions, but in due time. I'm not used to speaking to people- it's been so long that I am out of practice." He gave another chuckle.

Rey gave him a small smile back.

"I have many questions for you too, but for now, let me show you around."

'I sleep in the hut- the other one is for all my food." He made a gesture to his nose. "The fish really started to stink my room up. And the birds are a nightmare!" he pointed upwards towards the sky. "… anyways, it gets pretty cold up here so the fire pit I'll use during the night, and I have blankets and handmade robes if you need any."

"Thank you, but I'll be fine for now."

"Are you hungry?" he asked, trying to be a good host.

"No, but would it be okay if I showed you something? Someone is waiting for you." She turned and walked back the way they had come.

He gave a small smile. "Lead the way."

* * *

About half an hour later, the two companions were in view of the Millennium Falcon.

"I never thought I would see her again…" Luke muttered behind Rey. She assumed he was talking about the ship. It was weird knowing that he had flown on it years before. She reminded herself to ask him how he had met Han at a better time.

Suddenly, a large figure came out of the ship, alongside a blue droid. She ran ahead, greeting him with a hug. Chewbacca muttered something along the lines of 'hello' and then looked on towards the approaching figure. He was very quiet.

"Hello, Chewie, old friend."

Chewie groaned, and then walked towards the man with open arms. They embraced, and after a moment, Luke asked, "How are you?! Where is Han? I have never seen you two leave each other's side."

Chewbacca mournfully said what Rey had been thinking, and she couldn't help but tear up a bit.

An expression of guilt came over Luke's face, the same one when he had met Rey. His eyes began to gloss over. "That's what I was afraid of. We have a lot to talk about." He was speaking to Chewie, but glanced to Rey. "I'm sorry Chewbacca. No matter what went down between Han and me… he was a great friend, until his very last." Chewie acknowledged with a head nod.

R2-D2 made a sad sound. "And you! I see you are working again?" The droid beeped enthusiastically. He started making a series of excited sounds, and Rey realized he was trying to tell Luke everything that had happened since he had woken up.

"There will be time for everything, R2."

Chewie groaned, inviting them inside.

"Maybe later…" Luke responded. He pulled Rey aside, out of the others earshot. "Rey I have to ask you something. And it is completely up to you with what your path is next. Although, I might know the answer."

Rey knew what he was going to ask, and she had already had time to think about it.

"Would you like to stay here and train with me to be a Jedi?"

She looked back to Chewie, to the Falcon, and realized this was where she was meant to be. All those years on Jakku… she hadn't found answers about her family there, but maybe she would with Luke.

"When do we start?"

* * *

That night was cold; probably the coldest Rey had ever remembered. The Falcon was now reparked at the end of the glen, making it easier to access. Chewie had stayed in the ship, preferring the rocking of the ship in the wind. She had preferred her makeshift tent next to Luke's hut, reminding her of Jakku.

Her mind was too cluttered for sleep. She rolled out of her sheepskin, and opened the flap of the tent.

The fire had been put out hours before, but small embers still remained. Stomping them out with her foot, she was met with a comfortable darkness.

Rey looked up and was met with hundreds of stars, but for the first time in her life, they weren't familiar. Somewhere up there was the desolate planet of Jakuu, the Resistance base, and she shuddered at the thought— the remnants of Starkiller Base. Plus hundreds of worlds she had never visited. Before meeting Finn, she never thought she would leave Jakuu. But something had grown inside her since she had arrived on Ach-To. It was hope.

She inhaled and exhaled, then hugged herself. It might have been the bitter wind, or the fact that she was exhausted, but she knew the next day would be the start of a new journey for her.

She went back to sleep.

* * *

Rey woke the next morning to the smell of smoke. She dressed herself, and walked out of the tent. Luke was cooking a stew.

"Morning, Rey." He turned towards his right and picked up a clay bowl. "Come sit, you must be hungry."

Now that he mentioned it, Rey had no idea the last time she had eaten a meal. Grateful, she smiled and took the bowl. Before Luke had even finished serving himself, she had devoured it. Rey walked over and gestured to the stew. "Do you mind?" she asked, wide eyed.

"Course not!" Luke chuckled. "Eat as much as you like."

"So… how long have you been here? Leia seemed like she hadn't seen you in a very long time."

At the mention of Leia, he turned, facing away from her. He didn't want Rey to see his reaction. "I'd say, it's been close to five years. Half a decade away from everyone you've known… it's a hard thing. Of course it took me a while to find this planet. Around a year to be exact."

"And since then?"

He sighed. "Looking for answers, just like you have. Coming to terms with everything that has happened. And since I found the temple, I've been studying the ancient scrolls for answers."

She nodded, understanding why it may have taken him so long. She wasn't sure if she should ask, but she did anyways. "Will you take me to the Temple?"

He put a hand on her shoulder. "Soon." He said. "But you need to train first." he brushed passed her, ushering Rey to follow him yet again.

"You have a lot to learn."


	2. Chapter 2: Meditation

It had taken Luke and Rey thirty minutes to walk to the highest point of the island. Well, walking was really a loose term… she had spent the majority trying not to fall off a steep cliff face they were now climbing. She didn't mind though. Waves crashed below as a cool ocean breeze fluttered past, making loose pieces of her hair fly into her face.

Finally, Luke reached the top and lowered his hand. The top of the cliff was wide enough for a few people to sit on, so she wasn't too nervous when Luke ushered her to sit next to him.

"The view is fantastic, isn't it?" Luke admired. "It's a perfect place to sit alone with your own thoughts."

"It really is." Rey said, looking out to the blue expanse. Back on Jakuu, the water was always a dirt brown; even after cleaning it, it never looked right. The water here looked so pure. She had never seen this much water in her entire life. It seemed endless; every way she turned, there would be one or two islands in the distance, but the ocean never stopped.

"I brought you here because it's your first day of training. One of the most important things you must know as a Jedi is how to meditate."

She was stunned. "You brought me here to meditate? Why not just do it back by the hut?"

"It's crucial to let all of your distractions go." He readjusted himself so his legs were crossed. Rey did the same, sitting directly across from Luke. "To meditate, you need to focus on the force. Let it guide you and fill your mind. The first step to feeling its energy is to look at your own."

Rey was a bit confused. "How do I look at, um, my own energy?"

He pointed to his head, and then her heart. "The force allows us to see the light and the dark within ourselves. There is both for some; for others, only darkness. It's important to see which one."

She nodded.

"Now close your eyes." Luke hummed. "Feel the force flow within you."

She did as she was told. She slowed her breathing, Luke's words ringing in her head. She remembered the first time she ever realized the force was real— when Maz Kanata told her of its power. Then her mind skipped forward to when she first used it, in her battle against Kylo Ren…

A familiar warmth flowed through her. It was comforting, and it guided her too look within. Rey saw a bright light, and realized in only a moment that it was her own.

 _Is this what the light side feels like?_ She pondered…

But then she saw— no felt— something more. In the center, a small black dot had begun to form. She didn't know how long it had been there, but it didn't look very threatening.

Suddenly, her mind shifted. Rey found herself sitting beneath a medium sized tree; it had no leaves and big, thick branches. A ring of light created a halo around the trunk and its branches. All she wanted to do was touch it. She stood up and reached out for it…

Rey's eyes flew open, her vision gone. She was back sitting in front of Luke. It took her a moment to realize she was breathing fast.

"Did you see something?" Luke inquired.

She nodded. "It was a tree, but unlike any I had ever seen before…"

He smiled. "That tree that you saw… it's a force tree, one that has been on this island for many, many years."

"So the ring of light around it?" she asked, thinking back to her vision.

"That's the light side of the force, almost like a pulse. The tree is alive, in a certain sense."

Rey knew there was something familiar about that tree. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it was as if she had seen it before. Like in a dream.

She grew excited. "Can you take me to it?"

Luke began to stand up. "Of course. But not for a few days. I want to do some more training with you first."

He must have seen the expression on her face. "Have patience Rey." He patted her shoulder. "You must learn patience."

Before they started their descent back to camp, Rey had one more question for him. It had been at the back of her mind all morning.

"Luke… how did you know I was force sensitive?"

He turned, his blue eyes looking downwards, hiding whatever emotion lay beneath.

"I can always tell."


	3. Chapter 3: The Mechanic

Rey had just finished lunch when Chewie walked over. He told her he noticed one of the engine units had been damaged and that it was a two man job.

"I'm easily worth two men." She responded jokingly as they walked over to the Falcon. He laughed heartily.

As soon as were below deck, Rey saw the problem. The sublight acceleration motor was smoky— never a good sign. It was used to give the ship an extra boost of power when in hyperspace (or outrunning a first order ship).

Chewbacca muttered annoyingly that it did this a lot. "Well yah; that's what happens when you put illegal parts into the ship!" Rey countered. _Not that I should be complaining_ she thought to herself.

As they started their work, Rey's thoughts took her back to that when Han first asked if she wanted to work for him. There weren't many things she wished for in life— except for one. Rey wished she had the opportunity to tell Han yes. Without realizing it, at the time she had been afraid of change. If her fear had its own way, she would have stayed on Jakuu forever.

Of course she had multiple opportunities to steal a ship and get off the desolate planet. But Unkar Plutt would have found her eventually, and there would have been a bounty on her head. And then of course there was the time with Devi and Strunk. The two companions had offered to help her find parts for a ship she found; she had only wanted to sell it back to Unkar for good rations, but in the end they stole it and left her on Jakku.

She supposed they knew there was no convincing her. She had waited for so long. But something had changed.

 _I'll never wait again. Even if I never find my parents…_

There were more important goals she needed to achieve. Rey tried not to picture the mask… _his_ face.

Star Killer base had exploded. But she couldn't shake the feeling that Kylo Ren was still alive and well. And probably looking for revenge on the person who scarred his face.

Chewie asked her to hand him mechanic tape. She smiled to herself knowing at some point every place in this ship had been covered with that stuff.

"What are you two up to?" a voice said from behind her. Chewie was below deck and he popped his head up.

She turned to see Luke behind her. He was looking around the ship as if he had reunited with an old friend.

"Fixing the sublight acceleration motor." She said without taking a breath. "My guess is it probably overheated when we were escaping from Starkiller Base." She turned back to her work. "But this guy," Rey pointed to Chewie, "apparently didn't notice anything until now."

Chewie groaned that he was otherwise occupied at the time with more important things, and Rey gave him an apologetic look, knowing full well what he meant.

"You seem to know a lot about ships." Luke commented.

"That's what happens when you're stuck in a ship junk yard for half your life." she said without really dwelling on it. "I like to consider myself a mechanic."

He nodded, but his eyes glossed over.

 _There it is again_ , she thought. _Why does he always look like that? Have I said something wrong?_

She changed the subject. "So how did you meet Chewie and… Han?" Rey found it easier each day to say his name.

Chewie groaned. "Yes, we desperately needed a ship." Luke laughed at the memory. "I was on my way with my mentor Ben Kenobi to rescue a girl from Imperial clutches. That's when we came across Han and Chewie."

Chewie mentioned they had barely escaped.

Luke nodded. "The important part is that we completed our mission, even if we got a little… gross." He shuddered remembering the garbage shoot.

"Who were you saving?" Rey shot off questions.

"I didn't know it then, but I was rescuing my twin sister, Leia." He smiled. "I think… from the moment they met, I knew Han would pursue her."

Rey smiled sadly, now realizing how much Han meant to the General. She hadn't realized Luke and her were twins though.

"And Ben Kenobi? What happened to him? The name sounds familiar…" she pondered.

Now it was his turn to look sad. "He was struck down, by none other than Darth Vader. We all saw it happen." He meant the collective group of Han, Chewie, Leia and himself. "It's familiar because that was Kylo Ren's name, before he turned to the Dark side."

"Oh." Her memory turned painful as she heard Han's voice, echoing through her head, saying one word. Ben.

"Han… he was like a father to me." She admitted. "I only knew him for a short amount of time, but he offered me a job. He wanted me to stay with him. No one has ever done that before. And I turned him down…"

Chewie ruffled her hair from behind. "You're here now." Was all he said.

"Come." Luke told her as he watched their exchange. "I have a lot to teach you. You don't mind if I take your mechanic, Chewie?"

The Wookiee ruffled her hair again, and brushed them off. The engine part looked pretty much done, so Rey took the cue.

As soon as they were off the ship and out of earshot, Luke took her aside.

"Rey, I want you to know something."

She waited as Luke gathered his words.

"I have yet to see more of your abilities, but I can see how much you mean to Chewbacca. And to Han too." He added. "What I mean to say… you have a lot of light within you. You'll make a good pupil. And hopefully an even better Jedi." he patted her shoulder out of affection.

That was one of the kindest remark anyone had ever said to her. Rey was still getting to know Luke, but she didn't care. Before she could stop herself, she gave him a hug.

After pulling away, she asked with a smile. "So… what next?"

"Ahh!" Luke said putting his finger up. "I'm going to teach you how to exercise your mind!"

Even though she was a bit puzzled, she followed the Jedi into the middle of the glen. She couldn't wait to finish her training.


	4. Chapter 4: Like a Ghost in the Night

"We are going to start with this." The two stood in front of a few rocks and loose boulders, but he handed her his lightsaber. It was the first time she had seen it since she gave it to Luke.

"This?" she questioned, but took it anyways. "Do I get to fight already?"

Luke shook his head. "No, that's for later. Place it on the ground over there." He pointed to the grass. Doing as she was told, she backed away.

"I'm going to show you how to lift up objects, using the force. What's important to remember is that no matter how impossible it seems, you can mentally lift up almost any object. If you will yourself hard enough."

He demonstrated by easily making two boulders raise in the air. In awe, Rey noticed he didn't even hold his hand out. He placed the two boulder back to their original positions, and then guided her hand towards the saber.

"Close your eyes." He said. "Imagine the light saber in your mind… how it feels in your hand, the draw of the saber."

He let go of her hand. "Oh wow." He sounded stunned.

"What?" she opened her eyes and felt something in her hand. In it was Luke's saber. She hadn't even really thought about the force. Even stranger, she hadn't felt the saber, until she opened her eyes.

"You're a quick learner." The Jedi mused.

"The saber has come to me before." She admitted. "Maybe that's why it was so easy?"

"When did it last happen?" her teacher questioned.

Rey didn't want to particularly share events from that night, but she did anyway. "When I— when I fought Kylo Ren. He had just struck down my friend Finn. And I was coming to after blacking out. He tried using the force to reach it, but it came to me instead."

"You were using the force without knowing it." He stated.

She shook her head. "I think deep down I knew. Maz— someone told me about it before. About its power. After that it was always in the back of my mind."

"Maz Kanata?" Luke asked, knowing exactly who she was talking about.

She shook her head yes. "Actually… it was after I found your lightsaber." Rey told Luke about her vision— terrifying and lifelike. She had seen a glimpse of her own past and of her future that had come to pass. She revealed the parts of her vision that hadn't made sense: the heavy mechanical breathing, the two fighting men, the boy at the end of a long hallway, and Kylo Ren surrounded by men in dark suits. It was her first time ever telling anyone about her vision, and even though she only had it less than a week before, it had been a haunting experience. She still felt saturated by the rain.

"We'll talk about this more tomorrow." Luke said. "When we meditate. Maybe we can figure out what it meant?"

She shook her head yes, and he went back to teaching.

* * *

That night, the rain was heavy. As Rey sat in her tent, covered from head to toe with blankets, she thought about today's training. While the lightsaber was easy to pick up, other objects proved to be more difficult. She had gotten passed the mental barrier when she stopped comparing the objects weights to one another. Eventually, with a lot of her mental strength, she had made one of the boulders lift an inch off the ground.

After that, Luke called it a day and said they'd be doing the same tomorrow, so there was no use rushing it. Rey had felt defeated until he told her how stubborn he was when he was her age, and that he was grateful she wasn't the same.

After a long day, Rey finally drifted into sleep, the sound of rain slipping from her thoughts.

The rain disappeared in her dreams, replaced by a beautiful meadow. The wheat grass was high, coming up to Rey's waist. Flowers blossomed and beautiful green trees lined the meadow. Rey began to walk, feeling the warmth of the two suns above. She had never seen anything so beautiful.

She heard giggling. In the distance, a little girl chased an insect with long wings around a tree.

 _That looks like the force tree._ She mused.

The girl was no older than six, with long golden hair and little fingers. She stopped, turning to face the stranger walking towards her.

"Hello." Rey said softly, not wanting to scare the girl.

The girl stared, acting shy. "Hello…"

"What is this place?" Rey asked.

The girl smiled. "Home."

Rey smiled back. "I wish my home was as beautiful as yours."

The girl came closer. "But it was!" she insisted. "A long, long, time ago…"

Rey felt her heart start to race. "What do you mean?"

The girl took Rey's hand; a hand that felt a thousand miles away, yet she felt connected to it. "You will find out soon Rey. You are so close to the answer that you seek. Just remember you're their last hope."

Rey broke away. "How do you know my name?! And I'm the one who needs hope… how can I be someone's last hope?"

The golden haired girl smiled as if Rey said something funny. You were _chosen_ Rey. And now your time has come."

With that, the scene blurred. To Rey's horror, the girl walked into the tree and disappeared. The grass and the trees and the meadow all began to blur, until nothing was left except for the mysterious girls words ringing in her head.

 _You were chosen._

Rey woke with a jolt. Her ears searched for the sound of the storm, but it had stopped during her dream. And then she heard footsteps.

It was still dark, probably long after midnight, but a cloaked shadow passed her tent. Rey poked her head out, almost startled. The figure— she guessed Luke— was walking towards the stone steps that led up to the hill above. But that wasn't what startled her.

Luke walked nonchalantly next to an apparition… no, a ghostly hooded figure. They seemed to be talking very quietly. Like two ghosts in the night, they disappeared in the darkness and Rey was left wondering whether she'd had two dreams in one night.


	5. Chapter 5: The Vision

Rey woke the next morning to the crackling sounds of fire. She quickly got dressed and was greeted by the smell of nicely cooked fish outside. "Morning, Rey!" Luke offered her a plate, and she took it graciously. Chewie seemed to already be going back for seconds as he placed three fish on his plate.

She got down to business. "Who were you with last night?" she questioned, but made sure not to sound like she was accusing him.

He sighed. "A… friend. You'll meet him soon enough." He answered, never taking his eyes off the fire. "I sought his counsel last night."

She understood that. But something was still weird about it. "But… not to be rude… but what was he? I thought I saw a ghost."

"You are quite right. It was a Force ghost, or spirit." He explained. "My former mentor, Ben Kenobi, learned how to become a ghost after death instead of becoming one with the Force right away."

"One with the Force?"

Luke continued. "The Force surrounds us all. Those who are Force sensitive and become Jedi know this to be true. When the time comes, they must accept death so the Force may live on forever. But some Jedi have learned how to stay in this world as a Force ghost, in order to give counsel to those who need it."

So she wasn't seeing things. That was comforting. She really wanted to meet Ben Kenobi, especially since Leia named her own son after him.

"Like I said, I'll introduce you two sometime." Luke said. "Are you ready?"

Rey nodded, and placed her plate on her bench, belly full. She needed the peace and quiet of meditation, especially after last night's dream.

"Let's go somewhere new today." Luke suggested, and they were off.

This time the pair went a route Rey hadn't seen. A few trees lay hidden at the end of the glen. As they approached, she could see a hidden stream, where Luke must have been getting all his water. It was a peaceful place, shaded from the sunlight and out of the way from preying eyes. The stream trickled downwards towards a small cave opening; instead of going towards the cave, Luke sat adjacent to the stream in soft grass. Rey did the same.

After a few moments, Luke began to talk. "Last night I sought counsel from Kenobi, knowing he may have some insight on how to decipher your vision. Take my hands." Rey placed her hands into her teachers. "This may be strange, but I'm going to look inside your mind, as if I was there with you in the vision."

She nodded.

"And… make sure to _only_ think of the vision. I don't want to pry anywhere you don't want me to." he specified.

Rey closed her eyes, and cleared her mind of everything, except for the vision. When she was ready, she felt Luke enter her mind. It was as if he was there with her, and her vision wasn't so terrifying anymore. In only a minute, the teacher let go of her hands.

The two opened there eyes. "Well?" Rey said hopefully.

He took a long, drawn out breath. "Rey… I think you have the gift of foresight."

"Foresight?"

"You can see events happening in the future. Your meeting in the forest with Kylo Ren has happened, correct?"

She nodded yes. "But what about my past? I saw myself as a little girl. It's the earliest memory I have." She said sadly.

"Sometimes lightsaber's can have that effect on people. They can draw out memories, or induce abilities. My lightsaber called out to you… but the question is, why?"

"Maybe in some way it… knew that I would bring it back to you?"

He mumbled. "Perhaps…" He changed the topic. "The beginning of the vision, Rey. Do you know where that was? Who they were?"

She shook her head no. "All I saw was a hallway that looked similar to an Imperial design. Back on Jakku I scavenged Imperial ships all the time. Then there was the dark haired boy at the end of the hallway. He just… stared at me. It's like I know him from a dream or something. And then beyond him, two men fought, and mechanical breathing echoed in my head…"

"…and then you saw a man with this?" Luke finished. He held up his mechanical hand. She recognized it as the same design from her vision. She didn't know why she hadn't put two-and-two together. She agreed enthusiastically, happy that parts of her vision made sense at least.

"You were seeing the past." He stated. "Parts of a past that you were never there for. But this lightsaber was." He placed the saber in her hand.

"The fighting that you saw was the day I found out Darth Vader was my father. It was also when I got this." He held up his mechanical hand again.

She stared in awe of the Jedi. "Was it also when you lost your lightsaber?" she guessed.

He nodded yes. "Things always have a way of coming back to us, don't they?" Rey could feel he didn't just mean the light saber.

His tone became slightly bitter. "What you saw after was the night everything was taken from me. I remember that night like it was yesterday. Flashes of it play through my head."

"Was it when…" Rey stopped herself before she said the man's name.

"Kylo Ren and the Knights of Ren destroyed everything I worked so hard to build. Kylo gave in to the dark side, like his grandfather; but I fear that there may be no hope for him."

 _You are their last hope._

Those five words rung in Rey's head. They had been all morning. And then it suddenly made sense.

"What if there is hope for him?" she realized. "What if I'm his last hope?"

Luke thought about this for a moment, but brushed it away. "I've already tried, Rey. There is too much darkness inside of him. No. There is something you must do to put an end to this. I can help you, but it must be you."

A sense of dread came over her. She didn't want to hear what he said next.

"Ben said, that in time, Ren would come to you. And the Knights of Ren will no doubt follow. You can sense that he has survived Starkiller Base; I can sense it to."

He picked up her hands yet again. "Rey, you must be the one to kill Kylo Ren."


	6. Chapter 6: Force Bond

Rey walked with a purpose down a long hallway. Two Stormtroopers passed her; she was afraid they might arrest her, but instead they nodded. She turned the corner, and after looking over her shoulder, walked into a small, dark room. On the far side, there was a pedestal, with a disfigured helmet on top. And then she realized what it was.

She began to speak, but it wasn't her voice. "I know what I must do, but I'm not sure I can do it." The male voice said. "Snoke doesn't know her like I do." She felt regret and sadness, as well as anger. Rey let it seep in, infused by it, but it only made her feel better temporarily.

And then she looked up.

Rey saw her reflection in the wall. In it, a man with dark curly hair and a scarred face looked back. And then she realized where she was.

She woke up in a panic, sweat dripping from her brow. She reached for her knapsack and pulled out a piece of metal junk. To her relief her hazel eyes stared back.

 _Kylo._ Rey had to get out of the stuffy tent.

A week had passed since Luke and Rey's conversation about Kylo. How her mission was to kill him. Maybe before her dream about the girl she could have. But something in her had changed. Rey guessed it was hope.

She would never be able to forgive Kylo for killing Han. But there still had to be _some_ light within him; there was a small amount of darkness within her, so maybe he still had a small amount of light left within him.

 _Snoke is the real enemy._ She remembered. He was the mastermind behind the Galaxy's turmoil; Ren was just another piece in his game.

She had to tell Luke what she saw. Perhaps he could give her insight. If she was seeing inside Ren's mind, they could gain the advantage.

Rey ran into his hut. She shook him awake.

"Rey? What's wrong?"

"I think I saw into Kylo Ren's mind." She spewed out.

"Tell me everything."

A few minutes later, Rey finished telling her story. Luke sat up a bit straighter, looking more awake. He played with his beard until he finally spoke. "I think you and Kylo have a force bond. It's very common between Jedi Master and Padawan; but this, this is something entirely different."

"What's a force bond?"

"It allows you to communicate with one another— your thoughts, feelings or emotions— over long or short distances. It's like a chain, linking you together within the force."

 _How could she be linked with someone she despised?_

"I can teach you how to control it?" Luke offered. "The problem with this force bond— if I am correct— is that it's between a dark side user and a light side user. Luckily, I don't think it's very strong yet."

Rey was beginning to be concerned. "What happens if it becomes stronger?" she asked, afraid of the answer.

"It _won't_." he emphasized. "I will teach you how to control it so he can't communicate with _your_ mind. Otherwise he might already know we are here."

She shuddered at the thought. Eventually, Kylo Ren would come to her; that's what Ben Kenobi said. But she wasn't done with her training. Not nearly.

"I think it's time to visit the force tree." Luke decided. "I'll take you tonight after we train in combat."

She perked up, almost forgetting her worries. "I get to practice fighting now!"

He nodded yes and chuckled. "You seem very excited. Just take it easy on me…" he kidded. "I am pretty old, buuuut I can probably beat you."

Was that a challenge? "Bring it!" Rey ran from the tent, ready for her first lesson.


	7. Chapter 7: The First Jedi

"So when do we start?" Rey asked excitedly. "I haven't used this thing in a while." She tossed Anakin's saber back and forth between her hands.

"Eager to learn, I see?" Luke mused, taking off his robe. In one hand, he held his green lightsaber; in the other, a white rounded object that she had seen Finn pick up once inside the Falcon. "Let's start at the beginning."

An hour later, a blind-folded Rey had received two burns but overall thought she had done okay. Luke had given her the blindfold. At the time, she had been confused, but he explained it was an exercise he also did when first training.

"But how will I see?" she had asked.

"Search your feelings. You will find you don't always need your sight when blocking an opponent's attack." He advised.

After their practice, Luke took off her blind fold. "Good!" he praised. "You're learning fast. You still have a long way to go."

"Yah, well. Still got a few burns." She motioned to her wrist.

"Scars give us stories to tell." He joked. "Come one. I want to show you the Force tree."

* * *

"It was here that I learned the origin of the Force." He told Rey as they approached it. "And now you will too." Luke took Rey's hand, placing it on the tree trunk. Suddenly, the two were transported into a vision.

They still stood next to the Force tree, but the scenery had changed. Grassland surrounded them, and in the distant, two large moons dominated the sky. In the distance, two children, a girl and a boy ran towards them.

"I can run faster than you!" the little boy taunted.

"No way!" the girl yelled, running even faster. As soon as they reached the tree, they both fell into the grass laughing. The girl ran around the corner, and in an empty hollow lay a book.

"Why do you read that book so often? Haven't you finished it yet?" the boy asked, sounding a bit annoyed.

"Of course I've finished the book. But that doesn't mean I'm done with it." Sitting in the shade, she sat down and opened her book becoming quiet.

Growing impatient, the little boy grabbed the book out of her hand, egging her to catch him.

"Give it back!" she cried. Suddenly the book flew towards her, landing in her outstretched hand. The girl stood there in utter shock.

"Woh."

The scene changed; days passed and finally the children returned. Their abilities grew as they came to realize what the tree helped them do. They could run faster, force pushing themselves off the ground. They tested their newfound powers on objects around then. The tree eventually disappeared and the siblings were at home, each playing with their own crystals. The boy had a blue one, the girl had a gold one. They were at least a year or two older, and Rey noticed how their interactions had become more mature.

Luke and Rey observed as the siblings created their own lightsabers. They were a crude copy of the ones Rey was used to, but she supposed they had to start somewhere.

"After they created the first lightsabers, everything changed." Luke narrated.

"What happened?"

"The sister noticed her brother became more powerful when he was angry. She tried warning him, but he liked the feeling of power so much he ignored her."

Rey watched as they practiced fighting, now in the later teen years. The boy struck his sister down several times before she was able to recover. She tried to calm him down, but he wouldn't listen.

"The girl drew her strength from the Force in a more peaceful way. She never took advantage of her emotions for power. They eventually parted ways." Luke continued. "The brother went to search the galaxy for more power, but the sister stayed on her home planet, and created the first Jedi order." The scene dissolved away yet again.

This time, Rey observed as the girl, now a women in her late twenties, meditated with children of different species. They did this for a long time until a storm rolled in. Rey felt a wave of dread as the children ran inside, but the women stayed put, reaching for her saber. A ship appeared out from the blackness. The moment the occupant stepped out, Rey recognized him as her brother, now also in his later twenties.

"It's been many year's sister." The brother said. Behind him, another man stepped out, also wearing dark robes.

"I've missed you." The sister said. "And who is this?" she gestured to his companion.

The brother looked very pleased with himself. "This is my apprentice. I have been training him in the Force for some time now. Looks like you have been doing the same with your younglings?"

She didn't agree. "What you have been doing is wrong." She warned. "I have sensed it. You have been delving into dark forces brother. Some you can never come back from."

He scoffed. "What does it matter, sister? Your teachings are mere child's play to my knowledge of the Force."

"Your pride clouds your judgement, brother."

"And your faith in your younglings clouds yours." He pulled his lightsaber from his belt, taunting his sister.

"Brother… you don't have to do this." She begged, trying to calm him.

"I challenge you to a battle." He insisted. "By the old Force tree."

Rey spoke up, confused about the scene. "Why does her brother want to battle her? Did something go on between them?"

"In a way, yes. He didn't know it yet, but the brother had already begun his path on the dark side. His apprentice eventually began the Sith order centuries ago."

Rye nodded, understanding the history behind it. She turned her attention back to the siblings, who had already begun their duel. The sister was winning, it seemed. But suddenly, the brother caught her off guard. Aggressively, he tripped her right foot, meaning to kick her off her feet, but instead, his saber went through her heart.

Only seconds later he had realized what he had done. In agony, he held his sister's body which was now lifeless. Then the strangest thing happened.

The sister was dead, but her soul rose out of her body. The brother watched the silent figure float over to the force tree. Before becoming one with the tree, she spoke her final words.

"I will be back, brother. In this life, or another. There must be balance in the Force. Always."

Rey was pulled away back to reality. Possibly the longest vision she had witnessed, she sat down, catching her breath. Down her cheek fell a single tear.

"You all right?" Luke asked. He sat calmly, as if he had been through this many times.

She nodded yes. "What did she mean? That she would be back in 'this life or another'?"

He cleared his throat, placing emphasis on every word. "When she died, her essence became one with the Force tree. Eventually, the original tree's roots were divided, multiple trees growing across the galaxy. One of the largest of these grew on the planet Coruscant in front of the Jedi temple there. And as the tree roots divided, her essence grew throughout the galaxy. Eventually, the Jedi counsel learned of a prophecy: that one day, the first Jedi would return as the Chosen One and bring balance to the Force."

"And the first Jedi was the sister?"

"Yes." He recounted. "My father— Darth Vader as I knew him, otherwise known as Anakin Skywalker— was said to be the one in the prophecy. And while he turned to the dark side, in the end he did what the prophecy said: destroy the Sith."

Rey didn't doubt the prophecy, but it didn't seem like Anakin had exactly fulfilled his purpose. And even after he had destroyed the old emperor, the First Order had risen from the ashes, with Snoke orchestrating the entire thing.

It seemed important to learn the Jedi history, but Rey wondered why Luke chose for her to see it now.

Reading her mind, Luke explained that knowing what you were fighting for was important. "We are warriors and peace-bringers. With new Jedi, both the light side and the dark side can be in balance."

She agreed, but knew that wasn't the only reason he had brought her here. "Does this have anything to do with my…mission?" she phrased it in a way so she wouldn't have to say 'kill'.

Luke sighed. "When you confront Kylo Ren once more, your training will be complete. I can sense you feel there is still light in him. And maybe there is. But you will have to make a choice Rey." He emphasized the last sentence, making it very clear what he thought she should do. "He destroyed everything I built: the new Jedi temple, he burned to the ground; all the young children and teenagers I had been teaching, he _killed_."

The last word struck a chord. It only just dawned to her that Kylo was willing to do anything to get revenge, even kill children. Like Luke said, eventually she had to choose. Choose whether she wanted to give him a chance. Or choose to kill him, and spare the galaxy from more death and destruction.


	8. Chapter 8: Once Upon a Dream

**Fourth Months Later**

It had been a mentally exhausting day— but Kylo Ren knew that every day he came closer to finishing his training. He had just walked into his quarters when his scar started to burn again. The Supreme Leader had told him it was only natural; like a phantom limb, he would feel the scar's effects for a while, but eventually would fade.

He looked into the only mirror in his room. Seeing his scar for the first time had been shocking to him. It had been a deep cut, and the wound had taken almost two months to finally close and start healing itself. And now it had become a constant reminder— of his failure and humiliation. The fact that an untrained scavenger had beaten a Force knight was unheard of. The news had spread this way through the ranks of the First Order too, making it harder for him to keep their respect. Especially with Hux.

But Kylo knew that Rey was more than just a scavenger. He hadn't been sure, but after their fight he knew it had to be _her._ And her true potential.

It had been four months since seeing her face, but he had never stopped thinking about her. Even in his sleep, she hadn't gone away. It was always the same dream: Rey, across the ridge, after she slashed his face. Her chest beating up and down, completely out of breath. And then she would run through the snow covered trees, until she came upon a chest. The trees and the broken ground would suddenly disappear behind her, replaced by a blinding gold light. Rey would walk towards it. He could sense her curiosity and fear. The golden light was inside a chest, and then she would open it and gasp.

He would always wake up suddenly, with a beaded brow, always wondering what happened next.

He confided to the Supreme Leader about these dreams, and Snoke had confided that Rey was his weakness, and because of that, he was seeing visions of her.

After getting dressed into his night clothes, Kylo laid on his back. He sighed, and stared up to the dark ceiling as usual. The past few months he had trouble falling asleep. But with each passing night, he felt the weight on his shoulders lifting, as long as he ignored the knowledge that he had killed his own father.

He thought it would make him more powerful by cutting all ties to his old life. At first, it made him feel better. But eventually, it had come back to haunt him.

Eventually after hours of restlessness, he fell asleep. This night was no different— it was the same dream of Rey stumbling through the forest, and finding the chest. But this time it continued. She grabbed the item out of the chest, mesmerized. He couldn't tell what it was, but when she began to walk away, he decided to follow. Soon, they came to a cliff, but it wasn't on Starkiller base. Ren looked behind him, and the trees had disappeared replaced by grass and stone cliffs. Rey stopped on the cliff face, staring out to the ocean. Kylo felt the wind on his face and saw the stars above. Then Rey started speaking.

 _"I wish I could stay here forever."_ She whispered. _"Perhaps Ach-To would make a good home after all. Finn could come to visit too."_

An odd sensation came over Kylo. He could sense Rey's emotions: how she was torn, but strong, fearful but also hopeful. And not just hopeful in general. Hopeful for him.

"I don't understand." He said, loud enough for her to hear. She spun, gasping.

"Why are you here? How can you be here?!" she screamed.

And then he woke up.

* * *

Rey sat meditating in her usual spot. She loved the feeling of peace it gave her. Hew view overlooked the ocean, with a few smaller islands in the distance. Even though she was high in altitude, she could still hear and feel the waves crashing into the cliff below her.

 _If only I could stay forever._ She thought.

The past few months, she had improved in her use of the Force. Luke had been a good teacher; he had been patient with her, but fun too. Her fighting style had improved as well: she had a better stamina and balance. To keep up the same endurance she had on Jakku, Rey had been doing hill repeats every morning.

During one of her practices with Luke though, she realized she missed her staff. The one-sided lightsaber felt… odd to her. It made her start thinking about making her own saber, designing it after her staff. Luke said he would help her, but only after she finished her training.

They also received a few hologram transmissions from Leia, asking if Rey was okay and updating them on Resistance news. Most importantly, Leia had given Rey the best news possible: Finn was doing fine, and he was finally walking again. He had even gone on a few missions with Poe. Finn had become valuable to the Resistance since he knew many of the old First Order codes, as well as a few of their secret bases.

Her mind would often make up scenarios for their missions: Poe in his cockpit fighting off tie fighters, and Finn on the ground missions, fighting Storm Troopers. And every day she wished to be at their side, either improving her skills as a pilot (perhaps the suave Poe Dameron could teach her a move or two), or fighting alongside her best friend with lightsaber and blaster. Mostly because she didn't know what would happen if Kylo got to him first.

The sun was quickly setting, so she made her way back to her hut. In the few months she had been here, Luke had helped her build a better living situation than just an old tent. It was nice to have a place to call her own again.

Rey turned to watch the sun dip below the water. On a good day, the sunsets on Ach-To always created a red and golden glow on the horizon, painting the water in its colors. It was possibly the most beautiful sight Rey had witnessed… and she had seen many sunsets on Jakku.

"Hi, Luke. And R2!" Rey greeted when she got home.

The droid beeped happily at her presence.

"Did you enjoy your meditation Rey?" Luke asked.

She smiled to herself. "Yah. Yes, I did."

Her Master placed his hand on her shoulder. He beamed. "You've studied all the texts in the Temple, you have become experienced with a lightsaber, and you are capable with the Force. You are almost ready Rey."

"Ready for what?" she asked, but she knew exactly what he was going to say.

"To become a Jedi. Just one more thing." He gave her that look again, one that hinted what she needed to do.

She sighed. "I know. And I feel more ready for it now." She said confidently.

"Good. Sooner or later, you must face him again. Or it will haunt you for the rest of your life."

She nodded, and headed to her hut to get ready for bed.

* * *

That night, it grew cold again. The summer months were almost over, bringing storms in its wake. In her hut, the wind wasn't able to get through the stone bricks, but Rey shivered nonetheless.

The cold weather invaded her sleep. She found herself back on Starkiller Base, in the snowy forest. The trees reached into the night sky like phantoms— and she looked across a wide chasm in the earth to see none other than Kylo Ren. His face scarred, his dark eyes stared into hers.

She turned, running into the forest away from the face that haunted her for so many months. Her fear of him had returned, forgetting the words the girl had once told her. But her fear unexpectedly subsided at what appeared in front of her.

Instead of Finn's body laying lifeless in the snow, there was a chest. Emanating from within was a golden glow. Mesmerized, Rey reached to open the box.

Inside was a stone made of golden crystal. It was as bright as a star. Rey felt the Force pushing her onwards, so she closed the box and took the gem. Before she knew it, she was out of the woods and back on Ach-To. At once, her mind became more peaceful. There was nothing here to harm her.

 _I wish I could stay here forever."_ She whispered. _"Perhaps Ach-To would make a good home after all. Finn could come to visit too."_

Someone spoke behind her. Heart racing, she turned.

 _No no no no._

 _"Why are you here? How can you be here?!"_ she screamed at the familiar face. He reached his hand out, like he wanted to say something.

"I found you."

She started backing away, but as soon as her foot slipped on the cliff edge, she woke up.

Light pierced through her makeshift door. She sat up quickly, her heart racing. After a few seconds, she recalled parts of her dream, and began to frantically search her bed for the crystal.

 _Not here._

She got dressed quickly and ran outside. Chewie and Luke were playing a game of Chess, and it seemed Chewie was losing badly. He began to complain to Luke, and Luke stated to argue back that no, he was not a cheater. Then he saw Rey's frantic expression.

He stood up, walking over to her. "Rey, what's wrong."

It took her a moment. She thought about the dream, and what it might mean. Ever since she discovered she had the gift of foresight, Luke had let her research all the book and scrolls as she wanted within the Temple. Sometimes visions happened through Force sensitive objects. But mostly, they came in dreams.

Finally it dawned on her. "I think… I think Kylo found us. And he's on his way."


	9. Chapter 9: The Knights of Ren

**Note: I'm really excited because I am finally where I want to be in my story! From here on out, it will be mostly Kylo Ren and Rey scenes. You will get to see how their bond grows, and how this affects their soon to be friendship.**

* * *

"Chewie, hide the Falcon." Luke commanded. After Chewie ran off, Luke approached Rey. Holding both her shoulders, he confronted her. "Rey, tell me. How do you he is coming? Is it the Force bond?"

"No… maybe? I'm not sure, but I saw it in a vision last night." She told him every detail about her dream.

As she finished, she clarified the only words she heard out of his mouth. "And then he said… that he 'found me'. That has to mean he is coming here, right?"

Luke concentrated. "I think so… but sometimes visions don't just tell us the future. They can also show us pieces of our own thoughts and fears."

That really didn't answer her question. In her dream she had sensed his realization— and sudden determination. Rey didn't know if it was the Force bond or her imagination, but there was no mistaking that feeling. "Either way, we have to be prepared!" she insisted.

"And I agree! But we also must be prepared." Luke advised.

She nodded in understanding. In that moment, Rey realized the sunset the night before had been the calm before the storm.

The weather only got worse as the day progressed. Rey thought it was a bit ironic that a storm was brewing before Kylo Ren showed up. It was as if nature was giving them a warning sign.

Luke didn't want Chewbacca or R2 involved, so he had sent for Chewie to take R2 into the Falcon. When the little droid had argued (but only for a second), Luke reminded him that without the Falcon, they couldn't get off the island.

Rey hadn't really thought that part through.

Rey was playing with Anakin's lightsaber when Chewie came up to talk to her. He asked Rey if he should be worried. "Of course not, Chewie. Luke has been a good teacher."

The Wookie gave her the _look_ , the one he had when he knew she was lying.

She reassured him. "I know after everything that's… happened, I get _why_ you would be worried. But what you _need_ to worry about now is our ride home. We didn't go through all this trouble to lose that ship now, did we?"

He shook his head and let out a long groan, equivalent to a sigh.

Out of Luke's hearing range she added "Just be prepared to leave if we have to, okay?"

He shook his head in agreement, and said he would be happy as backup too. She punched his shoulder. "See, I can always count on you, eh?"

The Wookie ruffled her hair in response. Rey let out a laugh, and realized at one point since their stay on the island, he had turned from acquaintance to friend. He was kind of like her older brother, always looking out for her. She reminded herself to thank him when all of this was over. She knew he didn't like staying in one place all the time.

* * *

The night passed, and there was still no sign of Kylo Ren. Rey and Luke used their time by practicing dueling the next morning. But by midafternoon, it started to drizzle.

Within the hour, a black mass had engulfed the island. A powerful force of wind and rain swarmed around them. Waves tore at the cliffs, shaking the island at its core.

A sense of dread came over Rey. The storm had been the perfect cover for those approaching. She saw it in the sky: a First Order ship, heading straight for them.

"He's coming!" she panicked.

"I know— don't let your emotions control you. This is what I have been training you to do Rey. You can do this. You have to."

 _Kill Kylo Ren_ replayed over and over in her head. She had been prepared to do it once before. Why was she having doubts now?

Luke put his hand on her shoulder. He smiled, like a father would towards his child. He kissed her forehead and suddenly Rey was filled with a sense of peace, instead of fear.

"What was that for?" she whispered.

He didn't have time to answer. A ship fell through the clouds, a trail of smoke in its wake. Rey realized it wasn't landing. It was crashing.

Within seconds, Rey heard the explosion of the crashed ship, thankfully far away from the Millennium Falcon. Luke ushered her to follow, take out his lightsaber but not yet drawing its blade. She did the same.

"Chewie, go to the Falcon!" Rey yelled behind her. Instantly, Chewie ran to its hiding place.

"Don't worry Rey. He'll guard the Falcon with his life!" Luke yelled above the storm. Thunder boomed a few miles away from the island; Rey didn't want to think about what would happen when it got here.

After climbing almost a mile of steps, their path led them to the north side cliffs. She reminded herself to stay far away from the edge; they were at the highest altitude of the island.

To their left, what remained of the ship lay half burrowed in the ground. A fire had started near one of the engines, and pieces of shrapnel lay everywhere. What used to be green grass was now burnt brown. For a moment, Rey hoped that their fight had already been won.

A banging began inside the ship. Her heart dropped as the doors were forced open, and seven figures stepped out, one by one.

All dressed in black, with helmets covering their face, each figure rose from the ships depths. Each had a different weapon of choice— a sword, a staff, a gun. They were all strangers to Rey though. Nameless figures behind masks. Except one.

She couldn't take her eyes off of him as he marched out of the ship seamlessly through the other men. They let him pass with ease. He halted, fists clenched and chest beating. His helmet was different— it was the same shape as the old mask, yet newer, and more menacing. His gloved hands reach up to his helmet, and threw it off.

Rey gasped, her free hand covering her open mouth. A healing scar ran across Kylo Ren's face, from between his eyes, across his nose, and to the bottom of his face.

 _I did that._

Without fear or hesitation, he stared into her hazel eyes and in that moment she knew this fight would end today. She could feel his anger and frustration. Remembering what Luke told her, she breathed in deeply, careful to keep her own emotions in check.

"Luke Skywalker!" Kylo cried, pointing his finger accusingly at the Jedi. "We have been searching for you."

Luke made no move, showed no emotion. "So I've heard."

"Too bad this is the end for you. Wish we could have caught up more, but you have to pay for your mistakes."

"Your arrogance betrays you, Kylo. Or should I call you Ben?"

But he was done talking. At the mention of his old name, Kylo motioned to the Knights of Ren. "You know what to do." He said solemnly. "I have my orders, you have yours."

Luke still didn't unsheathe his lightsaber. "Rey, go!"

Doing as she was told, she made a run for the hillside behind them. She knew where it would lead her, and the advantage she might have. Chest beating and arms pumping, her eyes focused on the hill crest. So many thoughts were running through her head that she barely heard the heavy steps behind her.

Kylo's voice boomed, echoing throughout. "Seems like all you do is run away!" he sneered.

She stopped in her tracks. Turning around slowly, she calmed her breathing.

"You run away from all your problems, don't you? You couldn't kill me then— I doubt you can kill me now."

Her breathing quickened. In the distance, Luke was taking down each Knight of Ren, one by one. Amazingly he didn't seem to be using his saber.

"You left your friends all alone. Finn, now, is it? Did I manage to kill that traitorous scum?" he taunted.

Rey reached for her saber, his taunts running through her head. His scarred face had haunted her ever since that night; seeing him now for real was almost too much to bear. She just wanted this over with.

He sensed her anger, feeding on it. "You have only delayed the inevitable."

Simultaneously, the two drew their lightsabers. A flash of blue and red flew through the air, clashing together in an X shape. Kylo began pushing her back towards the hill, and Rey fought back. Her fighting style had improved, but so had his. He had become more fluid; his movements were controlled.

He slashed at her feet, but she jumped back as sparks lit up the grass. The distraction proved effective, and he almost hit her face with his saber. Rey stumbled backwards, almost falling, but caught herself at the last minute.

The grass began turning to rock as the two fought their way up the hillside. Rey chose each step carefully, making sure she didn't making the mistake of losing her balance again. Able to keep her position on the higher ground, she slashed down towards Kylo's head in successive blows. He blocked them left and right, and then swiped towards her left arm cutting open her sleeve.

She willed herself to ignore the pain; she didn't want to see the satisfaction on his face. The hill began to crest, and she knew she had a minute more of an advantage. As if he had read her thoughts, Kylo withdrew his lightsaber and began to circle her. She refused to rest though; she had been waiting a long time for this moment.

"How… how did you find us?" she asked between breaths. They circled each other.

"Well, as you know we already had part of the map that we took from the Empire's archives. The rest of the missing pieces were found in… other ways."

He let out a sarcastic chuckle. "Ironic thing is… I never had to lift a finger."

Rey immediately thought of her own dreams of Kylo, to her horror realizing he probably had the same about her.

She tried distracting him. "Kylo, I… I can help you. There is still hope for you." Finally speaking the words, she knew this to be true. As much as she hated to admit it, she was willing to forgive his past if there was truly hope for him.

For a moment, his eyes were distant, as if he was looking into a stranger's past. He shook his head. " _There is no hope for me._ "

He changed his tone quickly, quickly covering up signs of weakness. Kylo took her words to heart though. "Come with me. I'm done with my training; you don't need to be with Skywalker! You don't belong here!"

 _No way in hell am I going with him._ She thought.

A familiar feeling began flowing through her— a wave of peace and power, as if powerful winds were surrounding her. Just as Kylo's lightsaber lit up red again, she pushed her outstretched hand forward. His eyes widened as he was force thrown backwards. His lightsaber fell from his hand and his back hit the boulder behind him, falling flat on his stomach.

Rey tiptoed forward, making her way to his open lightsaber. The saber hummed, sparks flying from its hilt. Kylo wasn't moving, but she wasn't so naïve to think he was unconscious. Crouching down, she reached her open hand toward the sword, but without warning, it rose almost hitting her in the face.

She cried out as Kylo made a final push towards her. Drawing every ounce of strength in the Force couldn't stop him. Before she knew it, Rey was on the verge of the cliff. Turning only for a moment, the fifty foot drop into the bay below seemed daunting.

His foot came out of nowhere as he tried to knock her to her feet. Agile and fit, she jumped over his leg and kicked him, throwing her attacker to his back. Both recovering fast, they held up their right hands in a swift motion trying to Force push each other.

Rey felt the Force push off her hand in waves, like a shield. She willed herself to breathe deeply; take these precious seconds to catch her breath and focus her energy. While Kylo's energy seemed to take root in aggression, instead she focused on calmness.

To her amazement, Kylo's boots began shifting back. His jaw clenched harder, pushing out his hand again.

But what he said next would change that.

"You want to know— _why_ you don't belong here?" he said through clenched teeth. His jaw had started to sweat.

She could feel sweat forming on her own brow. "Not really, Kylo. I have more important things to worry about than what you think." She knew he was only trying to distract her.

"You sure about that?"

She wasn't.

"Do you want to know who your parents are?" Kylo pointed his free hand in Luke's direction.

 _It can't be._ "Are you saying… is Luke my Father?" she cried.

He let out a cynical, mocking laugh, then pursed his lips. "No, Rey! You have fallen for his Jedi mind tricks. Luke is the very reason _your parents are dead._ "

Both Jedi and Knight stared at each other, not saying a word. Rey was in shock. She didn't want to hear anything more. She just wanted to be free of her sudden burden.

 _Your parents are dead_.

It took her a moment to hear her own sobbing. Ren put down his lightsaber and took a step towards her. She didn't know whether it was to comfort or take advantage, but she didn't care.

She forgot about Luke's mission, and she forgot about her own.

Instead, without taking a second glance, she let her body fall backwards into the ocean below. The last thing she heard before crashing into the cold depths was a voice from above calling her name.


	10. Chapter 10: Realizations

As soon as he felt Rey slipping, Kylo had stepped forward, trying to catch her. He cursed himself for his still apparent lack of self-control: he should have waited for a better time to explain. He had been frustrated that she wouldn't _listen_ to his offer.

"Rey!" he heard Luke cry from a distance. He was completely shocked at the scene down below. All seven Knights were dead, their bodies lying lifelessly next to the ship crash.

He turned his attention back to ocean. He would worry about his vicarious situation later.

 _She should have swam to the surface by now._

And then there was that feeling again. An odd sensation he'd been having the past few months, after their battle on Starkiller base. He blacked out for a few seconds at a time; snippets of Rey's vision came into view. He instinctively placed his palm on his face, trying to placate the headache. He heard Rey's thoughts…

 _All those years…_ white wash crashed into rocks above her, but she didn't swim towards the surface. _The girl was wrong. There is no hope…_

" _What girl?_ " Kylo whispered to himself. "Why aren't you swimming?!"

 _Snap out of it Rey!_ She thought to herself. _You can't give up now._ She tried moving her arms towards the surface, but she began to panic. Water started to fill her lungs and she couldn't think straight.

The vision stopped. Ren snapped back to reality knowing what he had to do.

Throwing his lightsaber aside, he began to take off his black cape. Before he could jump into the water, a green saber appeared on his shoulder.

"Give me **one** good reason why I shouldn't use this right now." A familiar voice demanded from behind him. Kylo's hands straight up in surrender, knowing they didn't have much time.

He turned to see the face of his old Master, his uncle. He was angry to say the least. They didn't say anything. Kylo supposed they either had too much to say or nothing at all after all these years.

"Sorry, but I have to do this." Kylo force pushed Luke back far enough so he was clear of the lightsaber, then in one swift motion, he jumped in after Rey.

* * *

The water so freezing that Rey found herself wishing for the hot sands of Jakku. The current was strong, the storm still raging above. She was tossed in so many directions she couldn't tell which way to swim. There was no sun to guide her today.

And then panic set it. _I can't swim!_ Far below the surface, she clawed her way up; there was no way she could get to the surface in time.

Unable to hold her breath any longer, water began filling her lungs. Her vision blurred, and her world went dark.

* * *

Minutes later, Kylo Ren pulled Rey's body on to the nearest rocky beach. After he had pulled her unmoving body safely away from the oncoming waves, he started to work. Kylo checked her pulse: nothing.

In any other situation, he would have left her here. But for some reason, he felt… connected to her. Something was different about their meeting this time, but he couldn't place what it was.

So instead of abandoning the girl, he began chest compressions. He felt one of her ribs break as he began counting. He checked for a breath: still nothing. He counted again… and again.

He sensed Luke was on his way. He had to hurry so the Jedi wouldn't draw any of the wrong conclusions.

 _Here goes nothing._

Kylo opened Rey's mouth, and placing his lips on hers forced air into her throat.

"Come on…"

He did it again, and finally she coughed up water. He helped her to her side as she took deep, labored breaths. Rey winced as she moved, and Kylo knew she probably felt her broken rib.

They sat quietly for a moment, both catching their breaths. Rey looked to Kylo, her eyes questioning his intentions.

He hardened his heart, not wanting to show any weaknesses. "That won't happen again." He said, sounding harsher than he had intended.

She gave him a small smile. "Thanks anyways."

Kylo began to back away from Rey as Luke made his way down the beach. She tried getting up, but almost fell down from exhaustion. He noticed Rey avoid Luke's gaze as he helped her to her feet.

"The three of us have a lot to discuss." He said finally. Suddenly, Kylo felt a wave of sleepiness rise over him. Cursing himself for letting his defenses down, he fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

It had been a struggle with her broken rib and exhaustion from the water, but Rey had finally made it to the camp. Luke had let her lean on his shoulder the first half, and she had been able to walk the rest. Kylo's figure floated behind them, which had been placed in a force sleep.

"What are we going to do with him?" she asked Luke as they approached the huts, Chewie waiting patiently for their return.

He placed his finger on his lips. "I think the best course of action would to go to the resistance immediately. We don't know how many people in the First Order know where our location is, so it's safer to leave before backup comes for him. Plus, you need that rib fixed."

Luke went into his hut. She heard him scavenging around his things. Chewie growled, which translated to something nasty Rey didn't want to repeat. She assumed it was directed at Kylo.

After a few minutes, Luke came out with a pair of shackles. "This ought to do it." He mumbled. He lowered the sleeping Kylo onto the ground and placed the shackles on his wrist. Then with a swish of his wrist, a white glow radiated from them.

"These Force shackles should work temporarily." He told them. "When he wakes up, I'll question him, and then we can be on our way. But first, need to return to his ship and see what I can find."

She nodded. Luke asked Chewie if the Falcon was ready, and he nodded. "Good. I want you to stay with Rey so you can be here when he wakes up. I'll be back soon!" he said, already leaving.

Chewie agreed wholeheartedly, and picked up Kylo to place him in Rey's hut. Then he stood guard outside the door.

Rey watched as Luke walked back towards their crash, wondering if Kylo really meant what he said, or if it was only a ploy.

 _Only one way to find out._ She thought, and walked inside to wait for Kylo to wake up.


	11. Chapter 11: Fire and Ice

Of all the people to be left alone in a room with, Rey never could have guessed it would be Kylo Ren. The emotions Luke had been teaching her to control were bubbling to the surface— anger, confusion, and sadness were only a few. She grabbed a piece of twine, and starting fidgeting trying to get her mind off of things. Trying to focus until Luke returned to the tent.

Ren finally woke up. "Really? Force cuffs?"

She didn't any anything.

"That was a pretty long fall you had there. Can't swim?" he mocked.

She gave him a dirty look. "Apparently, since I never did learn on Jakku." She stated sarcastically.

"Can I ask you a question Rey?" Kylo finally became serious, still not looking her in the eye.

Rey looked up and the first thing that came to her spewed out. "You can. But there is no guarantee I will answer."

He shifted his shackles uncomfortably. "When I looked into your mind, back on Starkiller base… you could see this place." Chin down, his eyes gazed towards her. "You could see the island."

She refused to look at him. She continued playing with the twine. "Yah, so? What does that have to do with being here?"

He looked amused, as if he knew something she didn't. "It has _everything_ to do with it."

Her first thought went to the crashed ship on the other side of the island. "Is that how you got here?" she questioned urgently. "You saw this place and knew where I was going to go?"

"I put two and two together." He admitted. "The island you saw, and…"

"And what?"

"And in a dream I had."

Rey had a sinking feeling, realizing her dream had been a vision after all. Not only this, but they did have a Force bond.

" _Me too._ " She whispered.

A look of understanding came over his face. "Is that why you started yelling at me? Because you could see me too?" he asked.

She nodded yes.

"Don't you ever have the feeling Luke isn't telling you everything? Somehow… he knows more than you do?" he sat up straighter.

"What you told me before I fell…Do you know something you aren't telling me?" she countered, finally having the courage to ask him.

Rey finally looked Kylo in the eyes, and for once realized he might be right. Ever since she had gotten here, she felt there was more information about her past Luke wasn't sharing. Maybe there were missing pieces of their past that he wasn't revealing.

He continued, emphasizing every word. "You _saw the island_ in a vision. You had never set foot on it. That means you saw it in the future."

The twine fell from her fingers. He continued, all taunting gone from his voice. "Maybe… you have the gift of foresight?"

"Luke already _told_ me this. I already know this. But why me? I'm just a girl from Jakku."

At that, Ren chuckled, looking amused.

Defensively, Rey backfired. "What, you think I'm funny? You don't get to-"

He interrupted. "No." he responded calmly. "It's just that you are so much more than a girl from Jakku. I just don't think you realize how important you must be." His lip went up in a half smile. "There is something I never told you. And I need you to listen to every word, and understand my side of things."

She fidgeted with the twine more, breaking a piece off. Rey couldn't help but feel something big was coming. And she wasn't sure whether she should be afraid.

Ren arched forward with a new sense of urgency. "I said something to you. Back in the forest, on Starkiller base. Tell me what it was."

"Why should I tell you, if you know what you said?" Rey was beginning to grow more and more frustrated.

He closed his eyes out of exasperation. "That's not— alright fine. I said 'it is you'."

Neither spoke for a moment.

Something dawned on her. "Kylo, what are you—."

"I'm saying… the first time I met you, you were only five years old. I knew you were force sensitive then, but when I finally saw you for the first time in years, I couldn't tell if it was really you. Until you grabbed the lightsaber."

" _What_?" her voice was soft, her brain not fully comprehending. Her thoughts went back to the ship flying into the atmosphere as she was left stranded on Jakuu. _I'll come back for you sweetheart_ rang in her head.

"I was only a teenager then. And you needed my help. But I let you down. He let you down."

" _Who_?" she demanded.

For the first time, Kylo Ren looked concerned for her. He looked at Rey as if she might break in two if she heard the next word.

" _Luke._ " He emphasized through gritted teeth.

Only seconds after he said those words, an explosion blew the hut. Rey had no time to react as the ground shifted, throwing her mid-air. The canvas exploded into shreds, and the blast caused the left over pieces to catch fire. Amidst the smoke and flames, rocks and rubble, she felt pain. Not only from her head, which had just cut open, but from her heart.

And then the world went dark.

* * *

Rey felt something hot on her toes. She looked down to see it was burning hot sand. Dust flew in her face, and she tried to cover her eyes.

Someone took her hand, and she looked up. It was a teenage boy. He had black shaggy hair with dark eyes. He placed a stuffed bunny with an orange vest in her hands, which she held on to dearly.

 _I'll come back for you sweetheart_ , his voice called out, distant already. He began to dissolve straight into the sand, and she screamed for him to come back.

Rey's body jolted forwards, and her eyes finally opened. A familiar face, with black shaggy hair and dark eyes kneeled over her, calling out her name. That's when it really dawned on her.

She sat up, hand going straight to her head. She felt something sticky. Kylo kneeled beside her, not sure what to do or say next. So instead she spoke first.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Ask him." Kylo accusingly pointed a finger behind him. Luke stood there, guilt on his face.

"I'm sorry. I never should have left you in the hut with him." Luke insisted.

Kylo turned from Rey to Luke, and she felt his anger building. "No, it's exactly what you should have done! You know what I find _fascinating_ , Skywalker?" sarcasm seethed through his lips. "The fact that you expect her to believe in you and follow you _blindly_ when you can't even tell her the truth!" his voiced boomed, echoing throughout the canyon.

Rey sat there in the rubble. For once, she couldn't look Luke in the eyes. Her heart was racing and her head hurt. She didn't want to hear what came next, but the words came anyways.

"Don't!" Luke commanded.

Kylo ignored him. He turned back to Rey, his figure towering over her. "Years ago, Luke and I were traveling through the galaxy. We ended up near the settlement of Yavin-4, where a force tree had been planted years before. Two dark force users, a woman and a man, were attempting to take it and use it for power. Luke fought and killed them to save the tree. It wasn't until after they were dead that we realized a young girl was hiding behind the tree itself. A girl who we soon learned was also a dark force user, like her parents. A girl with the name of Rey."

Tears were streaming down Rey's face now, but she let them fall. She had felt betrayal many times in her life, but never as bad as this. "So, my parents were never coming for me, because they were already dead." Her voice broke.

She forced herself to look at Luke. His face had become mixed with guilt and sadness. "Everything else I told you was true. I just… I couldn't bear to tell you I was the one to kill your family."

Rey didn't want to look at either of the men in front of her. She wished Finn was here. He would have known what to say, how to comfort her; no matter how stupid it sounded. She just wanted her best friend back by her side.

" _I have to go._ " she whispered. Ignoring the dizziness in her head, and the pain from her rib, she picked herself up. Like a ghost, she soundlessly shuffled towards the hillside, never once looking back.


	12. Chapter 12: Heart of the Guardian

Rey didn't know how much time had passed, but eventually she found herself by the temple doors. She wasn't surprised. Somehow, the force had led her here.

She touched her forehead again, feeling dry blood. She hurried over to the fountain and scrubbed it off as fast as she could… not just the blood, but her tears.

Her face wet, she sat trying to calm herself. She didn't want to think. For once, she wanted to be back on Jakku instead of being caught up in this mess.

She almost instantly regretted even thinking that. Why would she want to be miserable somewhere else? No… she'd rather be on the Millennium Falcon, Chewie as her copilot, traveling with her best friend Finn. Flying throughout the galaxy, having adventures…

Maybe she would have been better off not knowing what happened to her parents. Or knowing about her Force bond or her gift of foresight…

She had trusted Luke; he had become a mentor, a friend. _He should have told her._ There was no easy way to ever tell someone you had killed their parents. Why would he let Kylo do it?

She gasped. The answer was right there in front of her face. Rey was never meant to know. Luke had ordered her to kill Kylo, and he ended up being the one to tell the secret. It explained the explosion of the hut too. Luke must have overheard them.

Familiar footsteps trudged behind her. Turning effortlessly, she unleashed her saber and placed it on the man's throat. He placed his shackled hands up in surrender.

"Just me." Kylo Ren said with a smirk.

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" she countered. "What are you doing here?!"

He cleared his throat. "Well, things are pretty tense back there, so I thought I would follow you. And that led me to where I wanted to be anyway." Kylo looked up in awe. "So… this is the first Jedi Temple. Its—

"Small." The two uttered simultaneously.

"Don't worry. It's bigger on the inside." Rey mused.

They pushed opened the old wooden doors, into a dusty stone room. There were three entrances at the opposite side of the room, with a circle of stone that looked like they had been seats. Pillars were placed in random places throughout the room, presumably to keep the structure up. The wind came through the cracks of the doors, causing an eerie echo around the room.

Kylo wandered over to the tapestry on the far right wall, the same picture Rey had seen with Luke a few weeks ago. She recalled the story of the twins, the girl who began the Jedi order, and the boy who had killed her. She thought it both a dismal and hopeful tale.

"Who are they?" he intrigued.

"They were brother and sister, the first two to use the force and feel its power. As children they played next to the original Force tree. As they grew older they realized their abilities increased tenfold when they were near it."

"What happened to them?" Kylo brushed the boys faced.

"You really don't know this?" Rey mused.

He shrugged his head no. "I learned about the Old Jedi Order, and a lot of their history from Luke. But never this story."

She continued, but she was surprised over this fact.

"The Jedi believe the girl was the first one to start training others who were force sensitive like them; that she started the Jedi Order. The boy found anger to be a good tool while using the Force. He went searching the galaxy to find an Apprentice who he could teach the same power he wielded. He grew more and more powerful, until one day, in his anger, killed his sister in a lightsaber battle." Rey paused as she walked closer to the girl, drawn in by her eyes. "She didn't die, not truly— it is said her spirit lived on within the force tree. Funny, isn't it?"

He didn't say anything. Instead he backed away from the painting of the boy. Rey knew something was bothering him. She just didn't know what.

He sat on one of the stone seats, and looked straight ahead. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, trying to shut out the pain. Rey watched him, awestruck.

" _He never told me anything_." Kylo finally whispered.

"I don't think Luke knew about this story until he arrived on the island though. You have to understand he means well—."

He turned viscously toward Rey. " _NO._ THAT'S— that's not what I mean. _You_ need to understand."

Rey didn't realize it at first, but her adrenaline started rushing. Her instincts were telling her to run, get out of that room now, before he exploded like he had in the past.

Kylo instantly felt her fear and calmed his voice.

"Rey, I had no idea who my true grandfather was until after my mother sent me away to train with Luke. Even after that, I didn't have a clue. A political adversary of my mother finally let it out to the public, and to me, in the process."

To go your entire life and not know your true birthright? Rey knew the feeling all too well.

"That must have been hard for you." She said the words, but in the back of her mind wondered why she felt bad for him.

"You think? And don't get me started on Han. Deep down, I think he wanted me to be normal."

At the mention of Han, Rey was taken aback, and suddenly didn't want to hear him talk anymore. "Let's just go on. Luke will be waiting."

He followed as she was about to exit the Temple, but then she halted.

Something… or _someone_ , had just called her name.

"Did you hear that?" she asked.

"Yah, I did." He said. Rey watched as he traced their steps back towards the three doors at the end of the hall. "The voice came from here." He pointed.

"But which one though? And there are endless tunnels through each one, it would take us hours…"

"Try sensing it. Let the force guide you." He advised.

Surprised that he was actually giving her advice, she was hesitant at first. "Watch me." He said, reassuringly. Kylo lifted both hands, which were still shackled and closed his eyes. He let his hands waver for moment, and then opened his eyes again.

"It won't work for me, unless you remove the shackles. Which you could do, any time by the way." He gave her a sly smile.

"Not a chance." Rey spewed in a heartbeat.

 _Here goes nothing._ She thought. She closed her eyes, and dug deep within herself. She saw the image of the three doors in front of her, and put up her hand. Letting the force guide her, her hand began to move sideways. She almost opened her eyes, but Kylo urged her to wait.

There it was again. It was familiar, but distant, like static through a comms unit. She had heard it before— a man's voice, always calling out her name.

Finally, she opened her eyes, and she was in front of the far right archway.

"I didn't even realize I was moving."

Kylo walked to her side. "You're more powerful than you think. It's what I've been saying all along."

She knew he was right, but she didn't want to admit it.

Instead, she sauntered down the dark tunnel ahead, Kylo in pursuit. Torches lit the way, providing light, yet she could barely see the end to the tunnel. She wasn't exactly sure why she was letting Kylo tag along. She supposed the combination of a creepy tunnel and a weird voice would be reason enough.

After what seemed like ages, the two finally reached the end and came out into a large chamber. The ceiling rose at least fifty feet, and there was a long, worn out table covered in dust in the center. Rey thought it must have been a banquet hall. To their right, small windows let in bits of moonlight, and she realized it had grown dark outside.

 _How long has it been since anyone set foot in here?_ It was just an old room. There was nothing here. But then out of the corner of her eye, she sensed something. At the far end of the room, a golden light pulsed from a covered chest. Instinctively, she drew closer; Kylo watched, mesmerized. As she drew closer, she felt its pulse, whatever lay inside. Poetic words were carved in stone above, in a language she couldn't comprehend.

Kylo's voice rang out, warning her, but it was as if his words were submerged in water. Her hand drew closer, and she took one step after another up the stairs, drawing closer and closer to the chest…

Her hand touched it, felt its heat, and suddenly a great light filled the room as the chest opened itself. She took a step back, covering her eyes, the light blinding her suddenly.

And then as soon as it began, the light faded, replaced by a figure standing over the chest.

Rey stepped off the stairs, surprised by the man in front of her. He wasn't a man… more like a ghost of a man. Kylo took his place beside her, eyes fixed on the ghostly figure.

"Hello Rey." He finally said. His voice rang out through the hall.

She gasped. "How… how do you know my name?" she questioned.

The man grinned. "I have been watching you your whole life. Looking out for you; guiding you."

 _I know that voice…_

"I saw you a few months ago! You were talking to Luke, about…" she paused, realizing she didn't want to mention it in front of Kylo. The man nodded, acknowledging he knew what Rey referred to the Force bond they shared.

The man paused for a second, looking over the two companions probably wondering why they were here together.

"My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. But I went by the name of Ben for many years."

"So you _were_ named after him!" she instantly covered her mouth, just realizing she had said that out loud.

Kylo suddenly looked uncomfortable, like for once in his life he didn't want to be the center of attention. He cleared his voice and just gave her a nod.

Now it was Obi-Wan's turn to address Kylo. "So you are Ben? Ben Solo. I have been waiting a long time for this. You are so like your grandfather."

With the mention of Vader, Kylo took one step forward. "That's a compliment. And I no longer go by Ben. I go by…"

"Kylo Ren. Yes, I am well aware." Obi-Wan disclosed. "That name has brought nothing but fear and ruin to the galaxy."

Kylo spewed back. "I'm only finishing what Vader couldn't."

" _Wouldn't_." Obi-Wan corrected. "Vader made a choice. And in the end, even after being enshrouded in darkness, he chose the light."

He turned his attention back to Rey. "I know how frustrated you must be, but know that Luke never meant to hurt you. While he was selfish in his actions, he was protecting you."

"Protecting me from whom? It seems like he was protecting himself."

"Only from yourself, of course." He insisted. "Your parents were dark side users. You exhibited the same abilities. Luke was afraid to you were susceptible to the dark side, and with the state the galaxy was in, he decided to leave you on Jakku for the time being."

"How do you know all of this? You're just a—."

"Ghost?" he replied, amused. "Luke has been here for many years, and I was his mentor. Who do you think?"

She wasn't sure what to say, and it seemed he didn't want to continue with the subject.

"Now Rey, what really brought you here?" he asked, quizzing.

It was obvious wasn't it? "I heard— I mean _we—_ heard your voice."

"But you were also looking for answers, like you always have been. Which brought you to me. But more importantly, it brought you to this chest." He ushered her forward. Kylo stayed put, only observing. "What lies inside is very important."

He didn't say it, but she knew she was meant to open it. For the second time that night, she reached out her hand, this time afraid of the blinding light again. She flipped it open, but nothing happened.

A medium sized crystal lay inside. She had never seen anything so beautiful. Jagged edges carved around the rock, tiny details on each edge. Rey placed the crystal in her open palm.

" _It's beautiful_." She whispered. _It looks familiar._

"That's a lightsaber crystal!" Kylo whispered shockingly.

"It was placed here ages ago. It also has a name: Heart of the Guardian. I'm not sure where it was from, but I know who it's for." He finished, looking to Rey.

"Me? But why?"

His eyes became glazed, as if he was searching the past. "There is a prophecy Rey. A prophecy I thought would be fulfilled within my lifetime, but that was not the case."

Kylo spoke up. "You aren't referring to…?"

"Yes. Your grandfather was the Chosen One. Or so we thought. He was supposed to bring balance to the force. But after death, it has been clarified that the Jedi viewed balance very differently than what the prophecy meant. Luke and I believe there may be a new Chosen One, the one that the Jedi have been waiting for all these years."

"So who is it?" Kylo demanded.

The old man countered. "You both must walk that path alone. The only way we can be certain if this prophecy can finally be fulfilled is the force tree."

 _Why won't he just tell us who it is?_

Obi-Wan answered, reading her mind. _Do not be fooled by him._ Obi-Wan spoke solely to her. _There is light in him, I can feel it. But the darkness grasps him tightly still_. _If Snoke was to find out certain information, it could mean the end of the Galaxy._ He forewarned. _Go… you will know what to do soon._

She nodded, understanding.

The man turned to them one last time, possibly for the last time. "Take the crystal. Go to the tree. I feel my task here is done."

She didn't want him to go. Not when they only just met. Impatient, Kylo walked out of the room, but Rey stayed behind for a moment.

"Rey," he began, sensing her feelings. "I have only been around here for this long because of one thing. You."

Obi-Wan smiled. He turned, his ghostly figure rapidly disappearing before Rey's eyes. She held the crystal tighter in her palm, and before he disappeared completely, he said a few final words.

"May the Force be with you. Always."


	13. Chapter 13: Jedi Reborn

Kylo had been silent for most of the walk back. Rey wasn't positive, but she suspected he was in shock. She doubted he had ever seen a force ghost; she had the same reaction.

It had to be important for Obi-Wan to appear to them. After all, Luke had said months ago that she would eventually meet him. She felt herself being drawn to the force tree, aching to finally have the last of her questions answered. Luke had already showed her its power: the vision of the first two Jedi. She wondered what they would see today.

Placing the crystal in her satchel, they pressed on. The walk back to camp seemed much shorter. But as they got closer, Rey realized she was going to have to face Luke after the explosion incident.

"That was quite an experience." Kylo finally spoke up as they walked down the steps. "Never thought I would have the pleasure of speaking to wise ol' Kenobi." He said sarcastically.

"He was only trying to help, you know." She insisted, getting a bit annoyed.

"So… the prophecy he talked about? Who do you think it is?" he asked.

They had finally gotten to the bottom of the ridge when Rey stopped. She had a gut feeling of who Obi-Wan had been talking about but… no. It couldn't be. And she didn't want to share her thoughts with Kylo either. "I don't know." She lied.

"I would like to know. Especially because my own grandfather was the Chosen One."

"Let's just stop talking about it, okay?" she insisted. "We'll find out soon enough." Ever since leaving the Temple, she had a sinking feeling in her gut. She didn't know whether it was just the pain from her head, or her hunger, but it wasn't good.

"Fine." He gave up, throwing both hands in the air. The duo walked the rest of the way back to the camp in silence.

Finally, Rey saw the glen and the rings of smoke in the air. Chewbacca had reparked the Falcon, and it was now a few hundred feet away from the huts. Or she should say 'hut', because hers was now in rubble.

Luke was now collecting items and placing them in bags. He stopped when he saw the two companions approaching. He walked over with caution, probably trying to avoid setting Rey off again.

"I see Kylo came back without a fight?" he said, making small talk. Rey crossed her arms and stood her ground.

"Yah well, there really isn't many places I can go on this Force-forsaken island, is there?" he remarked.

Luke and Rey both ignored his comment, having their own stare down. Luke was the first one to speak.

"Rey, I'm sorry."

"For not telling me? Or getting caught?" she demanded.

He massaged the back of his neck. "To be truthful… probably both. I think eventually I would have told you but… you were doing so well in your training. And you exhibited none of the dark side abilities you had as a child. So I believed that when the time was right, I could tell you the full story."

She shook her head. "But only _after_ I faced Kylo right? I had no say either way! Don't you think I deserved to know before I had to kill him?!"

Kylo cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"I know. But we need to go, if we don't want to be caught by the First Order. Where did you guys run off to anyways?"

Kylo and Rey glanced at one another. "The temple. We saw Obi-Wan. And there is something we have to do before we leave."

* * *

Within minutes, the three Force users were in front of the Force tree.

"And you are _sure_ about this Rey?" Luke inquired.

She nodded. "Yah… I think it has to be me."

Luke took Kylo back far enough so Rey could concentrate. She calmed herself, willing the force to flow through her. And then she touched the tree.

Her vision transported her back to a familiar scene: the brother and sister, now grown up, fighting in a duel. The brother made a fatal blow to his sister, and her soul rose from her body and into the tree. It was all the same, and at first Rey was confused. But then something more happened.

Everyone except for Rey disappeared. She was left alone in the grassland, with a setting sun and the original Force tree. She jumped as something moved out of the tree. It was the sister.

Suddenly, her face and body began morphing into a little boy. He had blonde, messy hair and was wearing tan robes. She watched, awestruck, as the boy turned into a man. A man with a scar across his left eye and a robotic hand. All at once, his eyes turned demon-like and his face became a black mask. The familiar mechanical breathing became so loud Rey covered her ears.

 _Darth Vader. I've been hearing Darth Vader._ She perceived. It took all her strength to keep her focus. She closed her eyes, never wanting them to open. She slowed her breathing, willing herself to leave the vision, so she opened her eyes.

To her relief, Darth Vader had disappeared. But what shocked her the most is what had replaced the Sith lord.

It was Rey.

 _He didn't disappear… he transformed into…_

She fell out of her vision, the reality too much for her to handle. Letting go of the tree, she stumbled back, gasping. Very slowly, she turned her head to the two men standing wide eyed, waiting for her to speak.

In that moment, she realized their destinies— the Knight, the Jedi, and the Scavenger— had been catapulting to this very moment. And it was too much for her too handle at the moment.

 _Don't run away again._ She reminded herself.

A look of concern, Luke walked over and crouched down. "Rey, tell me what you saw."

Kylo took a few steps forward, becoming antsy.

"The prophecy… it was about me." She choked out, tearing up. "I am the reincarnation of Anakin Skywalker. I'm the Chosen One."

The current storm had ended, but Rey knew that the real storm was yet to come. And as much as she wanted to disappear in that moment, she knew there was a mission to complete. And only she could do it.


	14. Chapter 14: Justice

**AN: Part II: After the last chapter, this new one introduces a part two to my story. Things will move faster now, and their will be more characters in the story. There will also be a lot of Reylo!**

* * *

Rey stared at the ground, not wanting to move. It's as if her whole body had shut down. There was too much information loaded into her brain today, and while she knew what her purpose might be, she wasn't yet ready to accept it.

"Rey…" Luke sat down next to her in an attempt to comfort her. "I know this is a lot for you to handle. But I can help. Leia can help. We need to get back to the Base."

She knew he was being as sensitive as possible, but the last she wanted to do was be on a ship with Luke and Kylo. Apparently the last time that happened, she was dropped off for over thirteen years.

Taken aback by realizing who Rey was, instead of lashing out, Kylo had been silent. Currently, he was sitting on a large boulder, waiting on Rey and Luke. And since her outburst, he couldn't stop staring at her.

Before Rey was about to argue with Luke, Kylo finally spoke up. He had suddenly stood up, concern in his eyes. "Rey, Luke is right. We need to go. Now."

Whether it was from her surprise that Kylo and Luke agreed on something, or if it was the concern in his voice, but Rey finally snapped out of it.

"Okay, let's go." She uttered.

* * *

At the moment, Rey wanted to get her mind off the Prophecy, at least until she got a good night's sleep. So as they approached the Falcon, Luke and a shackled Kylo Ren in tow, she insisted she and Chewie would be the copilots.

"You two sit in the back." She commanded, as her and Chewie ran to the cockpit. "We'll be home before you know it."

 _Home._ She thought. _Finally… and I get to see Finn again._

The two pilots buckled up as they prepared for lift off. "You ready to travel again, Chewie?" she asked him.

He moaned excitedly, and ruffled her hair as usual. She giggled, forgetting for a moment about the day's events. After setting the controls and closing the doors, they were off once again, bound for a new adventure.

* * *

Luke and Kylo sat down together in the main room. Luke had chosen Kylo's favorite spot: the booth where he used to play Dejarik when he was bored. Usually it was with Chewie, but he doubted that would resume anytime soon.

Luke spoke up. "So since I didn't get to question you on the island, might as well do it now. Seeing that we have plenty of time before your imprisonment."

Kylo scoffed. "So are you going to use your Jedi mind tricks on me then." He leaned back, and if he could have crossed his arms he would have. "Try me."

Luke just shook his head. "You are so like your father, you know that? He used to sit just like that."

He banged his fist on the table. " _You_ don't get to talk about my father!"

"What? And you do?" the playfulness had left Luke's voice. "If you think for _one second_ that I'm going to forget you killed your father, or my students, not to mention countless others… you have another thing coming for you."

Kylo tried to play it off like it was no big deal, even when he thought about his actions every day. "I thought Jedi weren't supposed to seek revenge? Thought that was my job." he seethed.

The Jedi shook his head no. "It's not revenge Kylo. Its justice." Apparently done with the conversation, Luke told him to stay put while he sent a message to General Organa. Kylo's bitterness bubbled to the surface, not wanting Luke to walk away without something to think about.

"Does Rey know about this so called 'justice'?" he sniped.

The old man stopped, turning around. "No, but I'm sure she would agree what has to be done."

He turned to walk away, but not before Kylo retorted with satisfaction.

"I'm not so sure."


	15. Chapter 15: The Resistance Base

Finally nearing the end of hyperspace, Rey could feel her nerves on edge. Maybe it was because she hadn't been to the base in four months. Or maybe it was because eventually, everyone would find out about the Prophecy. About her.

A loud beep came from the console. Seeing the new coordinates Leia had given them, Chewie turned off the hyper speed. A green planet lay below, with an abundance of mountains and forests. It was a perfect hiding spot, and eerily similar to the old base's planet. After Starkiller, the Resistance still had to relocate because their location had been discovered.

Already been cleared, Chewie and Rey landed the Falcon next to a line of X-Wings. She watched as a line of people waited for them below.

"Okay." She said, walking side-by-side with Chewie into the main room. "Let's do this."

Luke got Kylo up. "Leia is expecting us." He informed them.

"Wonderful." Kylo muttered under his breath.

They finally reached the hatch doors, and the ramp began to lower down. Rey walked out first, satchel by her side, which still held her lightsaber crystal and Anakin's Lightsaber. Luke, Kylo and Chewie followed her down the runway, with R2-D2 in pursuit.

Several people started walking forward, wanting to greet them. Rey could make out Poe, Leia, and…

"Finn!" she cried out, running into his best friends arms. The moment he saw her, he made a run for it too. They embraced, old friends meeting again.

" _I missed you._ " She mumbled from under his hug.

"I know." He said. "I missed you too." They parted, looking each other in the eyes for the first time in months. Finn held on to her shoulders, not quite willing to let her go yet. "I'm just glad you're safe."

He glanced behind her and his expression changed. "Is that…?"

"Kylo Ren? Sure is." She answered. Kylo Ren and Luke had finally reached them. Leia came forward finally, embracing her brother. She patted him on the shoulder. Chewie gave her a big hello and a long hug.

"Look who finally came home, eh?" she teased. She turned to Rey. " _Thank you._ " She said meaningfully. BB-8 rolled up beside her, along with his owner Poe. He beeped happily.

"Hello to you too!" Rey replied to his excited chatter.

The General sighed. "I never would have expected _both_ of you to come back at the same time." She referred to her brother and son. "I really should change my expectations."

To Rey's surprise, Kylo spoke up. "Hello Leia."

The two stood there uncomfortably for a moment, but then Leia did something unexpected. She took Kylo's hand in her own.

"Welcome home, son."

Two guards brushed passed the General and escorted Ren inside.

"Where are they taking him?" Rey asked.

"He will be in… confinement, until we can question him." Leia replied. "Why don't you all get situated, dinner is in an hour in the banquet hall! We can catch up then." She gave them all a warm smile. Chewie agreed to that; the Wookie constantly thought about food, Rey had come to realize.

Poe offered his help. "Finn and I can show you to your quarters?" he offered. He came over to shake Rey's hand. "I'm Poe Dameron, I don't believe we have been properly introduced."

 _He's kind of cute._ Rey thought.

"Hi Poe, I'm…"

"…Rey? Yah, we all know who you are." He flashed a grin.

 _Well. Okay then._

She could hear Luke give a small chuckle behind her. "You must be Shara and Kes's son, am I correct?" he asked.

"That's right sir! It's a great honor to finally meet the legendary Skywalker! My mother always spoke highly of you." Poe said, now shaking the Jedi's hand.

"The same could be said about Shara." Luke affirmed. He turned to Finn. "I've heard a lot about you from Rey over here."

Finn blushed a bit. "Oh, yah? What kind of… stuff?" he asked awkwardly, turning to Rey as if she had ratted him out.

"That because of you, Rey was able to find me."

He looked shocked at that.

Poe spoke up. "It's true. Finn renounced the First Order, saved me, found BB8 _and_ Rey, and brought the map back to the Resistance." He turned to his friend. Patting him on the shoulder. "He is a true Resistance fighter now."

Finn stood up a bit straighter. "Well, when you put it that way…"

Rey rolled her eyes. "Come on, let's go already. I'm starving."

Poe leading the way, Finn, Chewie and Rey followed. Rey stopped only for a second, waiting for Luke to follow, but he and Leia turned the other way. She supposed the siblings were catching up after years of being apart.

Poe led them through a front door of the base. Steps led down towards the main room, where around a hundred people were working with computer screens and navigational charts. A large defense table sat in the center. It looked almost identical to the other base.

Poe said hello to a few people as they brushed passed, and Rey noticed people staring.

Finn turned and whispered, "You know they are all staring at you, right?"

She was confused. "But why?"

"Simple… you showed up a scavenger, and came back a Jedi."

She was amused by that. _If only they actually knew the whole story._

Their quarters were small, but they would do. Rey's room was to be shared with another woman on the base— Poe had told her they only had so many quarters available. It was very simple: two beds lay on opposite sides of the room; each had a nightstand, drawer for clothes and belongings, and a mirror with a shared sink. There was a proper shower in the corner, for which Rey was grateful.

"Who will I be sharing with?" she asked.

"You'll meet her soon!" Poe said. "She is a pilot in my division."

"I know her pretty well." Finn informed. "I think you will get along." They said goodbye as she shut her room door.

* * *

Heading straight for the shower, Rey couldn't wait to properly bathe herself. She tore off her clothes and untied her tri-buns.

The island seemed so distant now, a memory, like every other place she had been to. As she stepped into the steamy, hot shower, her mind wandered back to the Force tree and her vision. Seeing Darth Vader's face, hearing his breathing… and then seeing a mirror image of herself. She pounded her fist on the shower wall.

 _Why me?_

She didn't feel strong. She felt broken. She had seen the light within her, but she also had seen the dark, a potential future. A future she could never let happen.

And then it hit her. She didn't want to talk to Luke about who she was, not yet at least, and she didn't want Finn to look at her differently either. No, she would find someone who might truly understand.

She would confide her thoughts to Kylo Ren.

* * *

An hour later, Rey walked in to the main banquet hall, starving. After grabbing a plate full of food, she scoped the tables. Finally, she spotted Finn sitting with Poe and a few other people.

"Hey, guys! Can I sit with you?" she asked.

"Obviously!" Finn said, moving to make room for her.

After she got situated, Finn ushered Rey to the girl sitting right next to him. "Oh, Rey. This is your new roommate." He said, bites between his potato.

The girl held out her hand. "The names' Jessika Pava. But you can call me Jess!"

Rey knew she was going to like this girl. "I'm Rey. Nice to have another woman around." She teased.

Jess laughed at that, looking at the table filled with male pilots. "Trust me, I know the feeling."

"Hey, we aren't that bad, are we Jess?" Poe complained.

She looked at him with a sarcastic expression. "You, Commander Dameron, are definitely the worst."

His team laughed at that, and then began betting who would win the most hits in an X-wing vs Tie-Fighter battle. Several times, Poe insisted it would be him, but Jess didn't agree.

"So how did **he** get here?" Finn said to Rey under his breath.

"Huh?" Rey broke away from the other conversation. "What do you mean?"

" _Kylo_. How did he find you? And how did you manage to capture him?"

Rey really was too tired to talk about the days' events. "Look, I know you're curious, but it's been a _very_ long day. I'll tell you the full story tomorrow, deal?"

He must have seen the tired look on her face, because he nodded his head. "Of course. Let's change the subject— you want to know how I'm able to walk?"

The phrase shocked her. She hadn't even realized his injury was that bad. And she felt terrible for not asking him first.

"I'm so sorry, Finn. It hadn't even crossed my mind!"

He shrugged it off. "I know it's been a long day for you. Anyways, during my recovery process, one of the medics was able to plant a bionic spine that keeps me standing up straight. It also connects to the nerves in my back, so I could walk again." He stated this as if it were simple. She looked at the object sticking out from his neck and realized he had been wearing it all day, she just hadn't noticed.

"How long do you have to wear it for?"

He sighed. "The rest of my life I suppose." He said.

Rey knew she had to go train with Luke, but she also regretted not being there for Finn when he needed her the most. "I'm sorry. I should have stayed."

He interrupted her mid-sentence. "No, Rey. You did all you could. You had a mission to complete, and trust me, I know how important it was. Plus, I had Poe and Jess." He motioned to his two companions.

She smiled at that. At least he wasn't alone in all of this. And suddenly she wasn't feeling as alone either.

Just then, Leia got up on to a mini platform at the end of the room. The room grew silent, patiently waiting for their General to speak.

"We have some new guests here, tonight." She announced. "They have been long awaited. You all may remember Chewbacca and Rey," she motioned. Rey watched as several people looked her way and clapped. "And may I introduce my brother, Jedi Master and formal Rebel pilot, Luke Skywalker!"

At Luke's name, the entire banquet hall stood up and cheered. Rey eyed Luke from across the room as he humbly nodded towards the clapping crowd.

"Now, down to business. We have a meeting tomorrow morning, for Class A _only._ Those who do not have clearance will be debriefed at a later time. In addition, there will be a flight mission schedule available after dinner, in the hangar. If you have any questions, feel free to come see myself or Admiral Akbar. Enjoy the rest of your dinner!"

* * *

Rey and Jess walked back to their room together that night. They talked about how growing up, Jess had always wanted to be a pilot, but the boys on her home planet underestimated her. That had only make her work harder. Eventually, she was so skilled the Resistance had taken notice. Rey admitted how it had been a rough life for her on Jakku, always scavenging for her next meal. In the process, she had found a flight simulator where she learned how to fly ships, and she had become a skilled mechanic.

"How did you and Finn meet?" she asked while they got ready for bed.

"Poe introduced us! It was back when Finn was still recovering, and he needed someone to help wheel him around the base until he got the hang of it…"

She had to of seen Rey's shocked face, because she insisted he hadn't been in the wheelchair for long. "The minute he was walking again, he demanded to go on a mission. Leia told him no at first."

"Why would she tell him no?" Rey pondered.

"Well, because she thought he wanted to go for the wrong reasons. Most of the missions were minor— like freeing mining slaves from First Order control, or rebuilding the New Republic building. But all he wanted to do was find Kylo Ren."

Rey could understand why, but she never would have wanted Finn to go by himself. He would have gotten hurt even more than before, or worse— killed.

"And we all know he never did." Jessika finished, wishing Rey good night.

"Night." She said back. Resting her head on her pillow, she had no trouble at all falling fast asleep. And for the first night in a long time, she didn't have any dreams.


	16. Chapter 16: Interrogation

Rey woke up the next morning with artificial light flooding her eyes. Jess was already putting her boots on. Rey sighed, rolling out of bed.

"Morning." She murmured.

"Finally awake?" Jess pointed out. "You know we have the meeting in five minutes, right?"

Rey jolted up. "Shoot! Don't we have to have clearance for that?" she asked.

Jess snorted. "Pretty sure you have the clearance."

 _Of course I do._ It should be a no brainer.

Rey hurried to her drawers, and found her old clothes from Jakku, as well as some new ones. _No time like the present_ , she thought, and tried on the new clothes.

It was a good fit. She wore a blue short-sleeved shirt, with gold etchings on the stitching and a resistance symbol on the left shoulder. She opted for her belt like always, grey pants, and booties. Out of habit, she reached for Anakin's lightsaber and second guessed herself. In the end, Rey clipped it to her belt, knowing that anything could happen.

Jess was waiting patiently by the door. Rey put her hair into her normal tri-buns, and the two ran to the command center together.

* * *

Upon arrival, Rey spotted Finn at the far corner of the room, next to a large metal door.

"Come on!" he ushered them into a conference room, filled with admirals, commanders, and General Organa. Luke sat by her side, and Poe and another one of his pilots sat adjacent.

"Thank you for joining us." Leia began. "We have many important things to discuss." One person coughed, and another cleared their throat. Rey took her seat.

"As you know, thanks to my brother and his new Padawan, a very dangerous Knight of Ren and First Order leader has been… captured." She winced at the last word. "It is imperative to our Forces and the New Republic that he is not discovered. No one besides those on base can know he is here, and as far as we know, the First Order believes he is dead."

"What do we do with him in the meantime?" Finn asked.

An Admiral who Rey hadn't seen before, spoke up. "We need to interrogate him. Find out everything we can about the First Order. He might even know where Snoke is."

Leia sighed, shaking his head. "Admiral Statura… I understand and agree we need to interrogate him. But how exactly were you planning on attaining that information from one of the strongest Force-users in the galaxy?"

Admiral Statura went silent.

"Why don't you do it Luke? When I was a prisoner on base, Kylo searched my thoughts for the map." Poe reasoned.

"I've already thought of that." Luke asserted. "I fear his mental block has grown stronger over time, especially after finishing training with Snoke."

Rey may have remained silent, but her wheels were in motion. She had been planning to ask Leia to speak with Kylo after the meeting was over, but she saw her chance.

Clearing her throat, she spoke up. "I— I could do it."

The table looked to her in disbelief.

"I mean, Luke and I could do it. Together." She elaborated. "What Poe suggested had me thinking too. Luke I never said this, but… when I was interrogated by Kylo back on Starkiller, he also read my mind for the map."

She paused, remembering the moment when she had unknowingly used the Force. "But somehow… I put up a Force shield, and suddenly I could read his mind."

The table was silent. Luke stroked his beard; his expression was hard to read: amazement, maybe, but also understanding.

Leia earnestly walked a few feet towards Rey. "What was he thinking Rey?" In that moment, it wasn't a question from a General: it was a plea of a mother.

She thought back to her conflicting feelings for Kylo. How she had once wanted to kill him… and then wanted to help him. She may be unconfident on her current decision, but there was one unshakable fact. "He was afraid he would never be as strong as Darth Vader." she cautioned.

"Who is guarding him?!" Finn interjected. Rey had been wondering the same thing.

Calmly, Leia pointed to the wall to her right, the one that didn't lead out to the command center. On it was a long way mirror. Leia pressed a button, and Rey stood up to see a figure appear on the other side. "He is right there."

Kylo Ren rested in an interrogation chair within a white room. There didn't seem to be any windows or doors. He seemed to be sleeping— but Rey knew he was more likely meditating. He was in a slanted position; his arms and legs strapped to the chair, as well as his upper thighs.

"What's preventing his from escaping?" she enquired.

Mounting off his chair, Admiral Statura shuffled to Leia and Rey. "It has taken many years, but we were able to replicate a Jedi prison into a smaller size." He motioned towards the room. "The door can only be opened from the outside; there are numerous passcodes needed to unlock the structure, and can only be done by a protocol droid through a random series of binary codes."

"Sounds scientific." Rey murmured.

The Admiral continued. "In addition, the room and interrogation chair have all been made of Phrik, so even if he was to get free of his holding cuffs, he could never get out of the room itself." He finished, looking quite pleased with himself.

"Isn't Phrik one of the strongest metals in the galaxy?" Finn looked amazed. "Only dark trooper's armor is made out of that stuff."

"And the only thing to keep a Knight of Ren in a cell." Statura finished warily. "Which brings us to our next topic…" he looked to Leia, concern in his eyes.

"Close the window please." She asked, sitting back down. "I know where your concern is coming from Statura— you _all_ have a reason to be on alert. But I have faith that maybe this could turn the tide in our favor?"

Rey knew Leia just wanted her son back. And she could understand that. But by the looks of it, no one else did.

Admiral Akbar spoke up for the first time. "I trust you with my life, General. But we can't just have the First Order showing up on our doorstep."

She turned to Luke. "That's why I _need_ you to talk to him. You are the most qualified here, and I know your history is rough. But maybe find out what he knows and what he plans to do next."

Luke agreed. "I'll do it, but you know where my stance was."

 _Was…_ meaning, 'past tense'. Had she convinced Luke not to kill Kylo?

He glanced to Rey, as if reading her thoughts. "Rey, will you come with me?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

She shook her head fervently. Leia placed a hand on her shoulder. "We'll be watching the whole time." Rey didn't know whether that should make her nervous or relieved.

Leia called the meeting to a draw, and an uneasy Rey mentally prepared herself for an interrogation with Kylo Ren.

* * *

"Good luck." Finn patted her shoulder as they stood outside the cell door. "And don't let him get inside your head."

"Don't worry, I got this." She smiled, hoping that faking her confidence would help her uneasiness.

The thin looking door rose out from the wall, and Luke and Rey stepped inside. When it shut behind them, all background noise ceased and they were left in silence.

The prisoner casually opened his eyes, as if he had been expecting them.

"How nice of you to finally join me." He muttered.

"Yes, how nice…" Luke began. "I'm sure you realize why we have come. We have a few questions for you."

"And you couldn't ask me on the island?"

At first, Rey thought he did have a point. But Luke disagreed. "I hate to admit it, but you have become stronger over the years, but in the Dark side of the Force. Not only would it have taken too long, but we were otherwise… occupied." He turned back to Rey slightly. It reminded her of the topic she had eagerly avoided the past day.

"Hmmm." Kylo answered. He gave Rey a mischievous look. "Are you referring to when I saved Rey from drowning, or when I made her realize who her parents were?"

Rey drew in a long breath, suddenly wanting to be back in her room. She knew she couldn't avoid the topic forever, but there was also a time and a place.

She reached for Luke's arm. He turned, a guilty and sad expression on his face.

"It's okay." She whispered, low enough so only he could hear. "We can talk about it later." She gave him a small smile, and it was the first time in days she saw relief on Luke's face.

Rey started the questions before Luke could. "There is something I have been wondering. Why did you save me when your mission was to kill me?"

He looked a bit perplexed at that. "My mission wasn't to _kill you_. The Supreme Leader has wanted Luke Skywalker dead for many years, which is true. It's why the Knights of Ren came with me— they weren't much use after all." He scoffed. "But _you_." He emphasized. "While the Supreme Leader felt threatened, I saw the potential. I had planned to bring you with me."

Rey let that sink in. It all made sense now… why Kylo had never blatantly tried to harm her in their fight, why he would tell her such shocking information. All so that she would feel betrayed by her Master and go with him instead.

"…but it didn't work, did it?" she whispered. "How did you know I couldn't swim?" She added.

He appeared taken aback by her question. "What?"

" _How did you know I couldn't swim?"_ she emphasized.

For the first time ever, Kylo Ren looked embarrassed. He opened his mouth, only to close it and second guess himself. He was about to give an answer, when Rey interrupted.

" _Lie_." She answered for him.

His eyebrows furrowed. "How did you…?"

"Oh, I think you already figured it out." She crossed her arms, not backing down.

Finally, he let his expression betray him. He shook his head yes, acknowledging he had figured out that they shared a Force bond without even saying the words.

"How long have you known?" she questioned, her tone lightening up now.

He thought for a second. "I think… I think I've always suspected. But I wasn't positive until we had the same dream."

She nodded.

"I guess it makes sense doesn't it?"

She gave him a look of warning. The last thing she wanted brought up was…

"…I could finish that thought, but I won't." he said indifferently.

All the while, Luke was in awe. He had been observing the two, going back and forth at each other. "This is stronger than I thought." He murmured. Breaking Rey out of her debate, he expressed how they desperately needed information.

She readily agreed. "What do we need to do?" she asked the Jedi.

"Well, if he won't give it to us, which is probably the case, we will have to take it from him."

"Well, you are right about one thing." he smirked, but the two ignored him.

"Doesn't that make us just as bad as him?" she asked, remembering her own experience with Kylo.

"I have learned over the years that we must sacrifice certain beliefs that we hold in order to attain justice." He said wisely. "This is no different. And by the looks of it, you already got information without using force."

she realized Luke was right and Kylo had told her those things willingly.

Luke outstretched his hand inches to Kylo's face. "Now watch and observe."

Rey did as she was told. She watched as Luke focused all his energy into reading Kylo's mind. And Kylo seemed to have that same determination. His head began to tilt off his headrest and pull towards Luke's hand, but he kept slamming it back through gritted teeth. After a few minutes, his eyes shut, making a last effort, but he proved to be no match for Skywalker.

Suddenly, Luke drew his hand back. Kylo began to gasp, resting his head back.

"He knows where Snoke is." He turned intently towards the door. "I saw images… flashes, of the planet. I couldn't get anything more."

He tapped on the door to let the occupants outside know they were ready, and when the door opened, immediately stepped out. "Rey, I need to find out where this place is. Then we can talk."

She nodded understandingly. She turned back to Kylo one last time. His forehead was sweaty, and he seemed dehydrated. They made eye contact, and in that moment Rey felt his dancing emotions: disappointment in his defeat, anger at his situation, fear of Snoke…

…and in the very back corner of his mind, excitement.

The door shut, and their connection was cut abruptly.

With Finn approaching behind her, all Rey could think about was how excited Kylo was that she was the Chosen One. That Snoke had been wrong to underestimate her. And how his fear of Snoke had become a second nature to him, and perhaps Rey could change that, if only she embraced who she was.

Perhaps she could do both after all.


	17. Chapter 17: Grace

Rey turned to walk back to her room when Finn approached her. "What was that?!" he insisted.

"What do you mean?" she asked as they walked. "Did you watch?"

When she asked that his face turned red. "I just mean… is there anything you want to tell me?"

Rey stopped in her tracks. She knew Finn meant well; there was so much she still needed to tell him. Just not now.

"Later Finn…" she said, as she left him asking more questions than before.

* * *

"Have you seen Luke?" Rey asked Leia after lunch.

The General was enjoying her meal when the girl strode up. Leia gave her a smile. "Just the girl I wanted to see! Come, I've been meaning to talk to you."

Leia pulled Rey aside, and the two woman wandered from the banquet hall to the hangar. "I can tell you where Luke is, but I wanted to talk with you first." Leia finally said.

"Is this about the interrogation?" she asked, hoping they hadn't done anything wrong.

Making serious eye contact with Rey, she realized it had to be more.

"Luke told me everything."

Rey paused for a moment. Finally, she was able to force her words out. "You mean… about _everything_?"

Leia nodded.

"So you know… who I am?" she said nervously.

Leia placed her hand on Rey's cheek. " _Yes._ "

They were almost to the end of the hangar, where the large doors opened to the woods beyond.

"I want you to know that I won't tell anyone, unless you want me to. Know that you can talk to me, anytime. I know Luke thinks it too, but you are already family." She said sincerely. "And _not_ just because—in a certain sense—you were previously a Skywalker." She added jokingly.

Rey sighed, feeling an odd sense of relief. She admired the General because she embodied everything Rey strove to be: a strong, influential women who cared deeply for her people, treating them like family. Having Leia say that she was family meant everything to her.

"Thank you, Leia. It really means the world to me."

The General smiled back. "Luke is by the waterfall. Take the road to the end of the runway, turn right, and go straight into the woods. You'll hear it."

Rey thanked her again and before she left, Leia added, "Oh, and Rey? Take it easy on him. He cares for you."

Amused by Leia's recognition of Rey's frustration with Luke, Rey headed into the woods.

* * *

This planet's season seemed to be a bit ahead of Ach-To. Instead of the end of summer, fall had taken over the woods. Certain trees still had hues of green; but most of the plants and trees were filled with color. As Rey made her way down the path to the waterfall, she spotted a few bushes with oddly-shaped fruit growing on them. It was very peaceful. Rey promised herself to come back here for some training and a few runs instead of staying cooped up in the base all day.

After five minutes of wandering, Rey finally heard the thunderous roar of a waterfall. Turning a corner out into an open field, she watched as the water flowed from hundreds of feet above. Instead of falling towards a large pool, it curved alongside a large hill. Black jagged rocks stuck out from every corner. And halfway up, Luke sat reading a large manuscript.

By the time Rey finally reached the Jedi, he had folded the book up. Out of breath, she tumbled down next to him to rest.

"That's… _really steep_." She said between breaths.

"Only in here it is." He responded, pointing to his head.

"Are you telling me that somehow the Force could have made that easier?" she asked jokingly.

He looked amused. "That's exactly what I'm telling you."

The two looked out past the roaring waters to the woods below. Somewhere to their left was the base, well hidden. And beyond that… Rey didn't know. She had never thought to ask if there were other inhabitants.

"Are you ready to finally talk?" Luke asked after a moment of silence.

Rey nodded. "Yah. I am."

"What do you want to know?" he asked. It was such an open ended question, she didn't know where to start. She guessed the beginning was as good as any.

"Where am I from?"

"That, I do not know." He said apologetically. "And I only knew your parent's names by the ones they went with— their true identities kept secret by the Empire."

"The Empire?"

He continued. "Even after the death of Vader and the Emperor, the Empire kept its strength for many years. Though it eventually crumbled, many stayed loyal to its cause. Your parents were one of the dark-side users who still fought for their cause."

"Why would they want a Force tree?" she questioned.

"The Force trees are a source of power as you've witnessed. The Knights of Ren were only just beginning to rise in power when I met your parents. In the wrong hands, that power could've been destroyed or used for the wrong reasons."

She understood that. "What were you and Kylo— I mean Ben— doing on that planet?" she asked.

"Word had gotten out that the enemy knew where I relocated it. Ben was still training in the Academy with my at the time, so he traveled with me to Yavin-4, which is where Dameron is from. His mother and father were both members of the Rebel Alliance; they would be in the Resistance now, if they hadn't passed…" he let his words trail off, seeming a bit sad.

"Poe mentioned you knew his mother?"

Luke smiled at that. "I did; Shara was a good friend, and one hell-of-a pilot. Before her final mission with me, she was Leia's private pilot."

"Must be why Poe is such a good pilot." Rey commented.

"It runs through his veins." Luke admired. "After I found out the emperor had stolen the last fragment of the original Force tree, I enlisted Shara to help me retrieve them. Since the Emperor was dead, it was easier than expected. We found two twigs— one, I took with me, and I eventually planted it on Ach-To. The other, I gave to Shara, who planted it outside her home on Yavin-4. Then, when Poe was eight Shara died. So you see, I was returning to make sure Shara's family was safe too, not just the tree itself."

Only now did Rey accept Luke's actions as unselfish. Although Luke had waited to tell her, she understood his side of the story more fully now. He had been looking out for his friends.

"What happened to the other trees?" she wondered.

"Destroyed. Either by war or purposely."

Going back to her original question, she continued. "When did you and Ben find me?"

"After your mother and father refused to leave, we fought. I didn't mean to kill them… but then they went after Ben, so I did what I had to do."

"Oh." She whimpered out.

He placed his hand on her shoulder to comfort her. "And then you just… walked out. I didn't know if you saw or heard the whole thing. You were only five." He recalled. "But seeing her face… how shocked you were. I felt terrible."

He cleared his throat. "Ben couldn't look at me. I suppose even while he knew why I did it, after seeing you was the last straw for him. He approached you, trying to console you. But you just stared… stared at your parents lifeless bodies."

Rey hadn't realized it until then, but she was tearing up. The saddest part was that she couldn't remember any of it.

"But then you got angry. You started screaming, and objects around you— rocks, pieces of dirt, really anything— exploded from every direction. And then when it was over, I knew that you were Force sensitive. But because you had only been accustomed to the dark side of the Force, you were using dark side abilities."

She dared to ask. "What happened next?" she said through gritted teeth.

"I realized you might grow up to become just like your parents. Or the Knights of Ren would be after you. So I did what I thought was right at the time. I couldn't risk everything I had built for one girl. I took you and Ben and went to the furthest side of the galaxy. And then I erased your memories, implanting false ones of your parents leaving you, and left Jakku."

Rey closed her eyes, seeing her vision of Jakku in a different light now. She tried to imagine a different Kylo— a young teenager who hadn't been filled with rage. And she tried imagining a younger version of Luke. But she couldn't imagine this younger Rey— the one filled with the dark side, with a different future than what she had as a scavenger.

"We are right back where we started, aren't we? We are all just different people now." She stared to Luke.

He nodded, and then remained quit, his story finally told. And that's when Rey said something he never expected.

"I forgive you."

Without saying another word, Rey left her Jedi Master to his own thoughts. Besides, she had a lot to talk about with Finn.

* * *

After she left, Luke did something he hadn't let himself do in years. He cried.


	18. Chapter 18: A Double-Edged Sword

The next morning, Rey was at the usual table. Poe was telling the group war stories, and Finn and Jess were off to the side whispering to each other. Jess laughed a little.

 _There is definitely something going on between them._

Yesterday, she had told Finn about everything that had happened on the island, as well as what she and Luke had discussed. He had sat there patiently while she ranted. Today, he had treated her the same as usual: normal. She was grateful to have a good friend like Finn. The only thing he didn't know about was her Force bond with Kylo. She didn't want him to worry or do something he might regret later.

Suddenly, Rey remembered something. She began searching through the side bag, the one she had always kept on her. Finally, she pulled out what she was looking for.

Finn glanced at the object from across the table. "Is that…?" His eyes grew large.

She nodded excitedly. "I almost forgot I had this!" she exclaimed, as she held the Heart of the Guardian in her hand. "I have an idea."

Saying goodbye, she bolted to Luke. He was sitting next to his sister like usual, and they were in the middle of a joke when she interrupted.

"Sorry!" she blurted. "But this couldn't wait." She held out the lightsaber crystal to Luke.

"Is this what I think it is?" he asked in awe.

"Obi-Wan said it is called the Heart of the Guardian, whatever that means. He gave it to me, when Kylo and I went into the Temple."

Shocked, Luke held up one hand. "You went into the Temple with _Kylo_? Alone?!"

She waved him off. "There was so much going on, I never thought to bring it up. Besides, Kylo never tried to hurt me. But that's not why I'm here. I just remembered I had this, and I was wondering… could I make my own lightsaber?"

Both Luke and Leia seemed very surprised at this news.

"That was very dangerous of you to do, Rey." Leia scolded. "Considering the circumstances."

Rey knew she was right, but at the time she had been so angry with Luke that Kylo's company had seemed better in comparison. And the fact that Kylo had not only saved her from drowning, but he also hadn't tried to harm her once in the Temple. It made her put a small amount of trust in him. Just for a moment.

Rey eagerly looked on, waiting for an answer.

Luke sighed. "I agree with Leia. But we can discuss that later. You say you want to make your own lightsaber?"

She nodded her head vigorously.

"Well, I suppose it's about time you stop using my father's saber. Unless you want it?"

 _Did he just offer it to me?_ She blushed. "I know what you are trying to say…" she stuttered. "But it wouldn't feel… right, using it any longer. Besides, I have an idea for a Lightsaber model." She smiled.

Luke got up, and ushered Rey to follow him. "Alright. I'm all ears."

* * *

In the base's boiler room, Rey had brought along her staff as an example for her design. "Why did we come here?" She asked.

Luke pointed to the fire burning inside the boiler. "We need to burn the crystal down to a smaller size."

The thought of burning such a beautiful crystal made Rey a bit sad. But she agreed anyways.

"So, what did you have in mind?"

Now she was excited. "I noticed during training, my fighting style had to change because of the lightsaber. I'm used to fighting with this." She took her staff off her shoulder and placed it in front of them. "Is it possible to create a double-sided lightsaber?"

Realization dawned on Luke. "I think that would be a great idea. You may need some more training with it because double-sided lightsabers tend to be… more _deadly_. But I have a feeling you'll get the hang of it quickly."

He held out his hand, and Rey placed the crystal in it. "Lucky for us, this crystal is big enough to break down. It will have to become four pieces. We could break it now, and it'll take me another four days to create the hilts, which you can help me design. Sound good?"

She nodded. "How do we break them?"

He gestured for her to sit in the meditation pose on the dirty floor. Once they were in position, he reached for her hand.

He placed the crystal in her outstretched palms. "What am I supposed to do—." He held up his finger to his mouth as a gesture for her to stop talking.

He closed his eyes, so she did the same. "Feel the Force, Rey. Allow it to flow through you— to control your actions. Concentrate on the crystal. Can you feel the energy pulsing from it?"

She could. Even though her eyes were shut, she could feel the blinding light yet again. It filled her with a comforting warmth. The crystal rose off her palms and floated midair. It stayed there for a few minutes and then crushing her palms together, the same happened to the crystal.

Rey opened her eyes to find the four pieces on the ground.

"Good work." Luke remarked. "Now, two piece will go into each side of the hilt. Each hilt can break apart so you can choose one saber or a double-sided one."

"That sounds handy." She pointed out.

"It will be." He said, standing up. "Now, why don't you find Finn? I'll start on the hilts."

"Are you sure you don't want help?"

"No, I'll be fine." The man insisted. Rey guessed he wanted to be alone in his thoughts. She couldn't blame him.

* * *

"Hey, Jess!" Rey called, just as Jessika passed down the hallway. She was carrying her helmet in one hand and she looked pumped up. "Do you have a moment?"

"What's up, Rey? Need anything?"

"Yah, actually… I was looking for Finn? Any idea on where to find him?"

Jess looked bummed that Rey had asked about him. It seemed a little odd to Rey. "He is outside, with Chewbacca, I think. They might be by the Falcon."

Rey thanked her. "Are you going for a mission?" she asked curiously.

"Not today, just a few flying sessions. Not quite as fun. And hey, if you see Finn, tell him I'll see him later?" she requested.

Rey smirked knowingly. "Of course, Jess. I'll see you tonight!"

After Jess had gone, Rey knew exactly what she would be talking to Finn about.

* * *

Chewbacca and Finn stood at the end of the runway, next to the Falcon. She overheard them talking as she got closer.

"Can you fix it or not?" Finn asked. He held out a long range blaster that was half broken. The Wookie let out a long sigh, and said he would try.

"Hey!" Finn called a Rey walked up.

"You want to go for a run?" she asked. She needed to get some energy out of her system.

"I would, but I haven't been able to run since…" he pointed to his back. "I get shots of pain if I exert myself to much."

"Oh, sorry about that. Maybe a walk instead?"

He looked around. "Got nothing else to do. Let's go."

The two companions headed out to the woods. The sun was only just falling below the orange trees, creating a golden glow through the woods. It was nice to be outdoors again.

"So what have you been doing with Luke all day?" Finn asked.

She tromped through a few leaves. "Oh, yah know… just making a lightsaber." She flashed a grin.

"Seriously!" he said excitedly. "So now we can have an epic lightsaber battle, huh?"

She laughed. "You're getting a little ahead of yourself."

"Aww come on. I could take you!"

She doubted that. But she loved his spirit.

Rey changed the subject. "So, do you like everyone here?"

He nodded. "It was weird at first… waking up and finding out you were gone. I understood why. I guess I got used to your company."

Rey smiled at that. She felt the same way about him. "Jess told me she helped you through some of it."

Finn smiled at the mention of her name. "Yah, she did. Told me a lot of bad jokes too."

"You like her?" she teased. The moment she asked that, he began blushing. He shrugged, suddenly looking at the ground. "Word of advice: any girl that interested in you is worth going after."

He looked up. "Yah, I guess you're right." Then he had a sly look on his face. "Want to race back?"

"I thought you couldn't run?!" she snickered.

"I'll never know if I don't try. Guess you'll just have to…" Mid-sentence, he was already sprinting.

"Hey!" she yelled after him, as she raced after Finn through the autumn leaves.

* * *

Her mother's hand led her through thick bushes. Her father walked a few yards ahead, searching for signs of anyone coming. Rey could see a clearing in her line of sight; there was a small house with an add-on, a garden, and a front lawn. But she sensed something else.

Suddenly, her father signaled her mother with his hand. There was panic in his eyes. Not for himself, but for his daughter. He ushered her mother to follow, so she turned to her daughter.

"Honey, I need you to stay put and hide, okay?" she begged Rey.

"Mom, what's going on? Why do you have to go?" she cried back.

"It's okay! I'll come back for you sweetheart!" she kissed her daughters forehead, and then ran off, weapon in hand.

Rey wasn't ready to be left alone, so she followed very quietly. She heard whispering. " _We shouldn't have brought her._ " Her mother chided.

" _We couldn't just leave her behind._ " Her father argued.

She watched from behind a tree trunk as her parents came out into the clearing, by the house. They approached a medium-sized tree, and Rey suddenly knew what she had sensed earlier. Looking closer, light seemed to pulse from the tree.

In a panic, her parents ran off. She heard loud voices in the distance, so Rey instinctively ran towards the sounds. Just beyond the tree, the girl heard her parents light swords (were they light swords or sabers? She couldn't remember).

And then as soon as it started, the fighting stopped. Slowly, Rey walked out into the clearing, only to see an older boy with dark hair, and a man with blonde hair. Behind them, lay her parents.

So many emotions ran through her head, but the only one she had room for was anger. She wanted to hurt these bad people, these people who had killed her mom and dad…

The boy began saying something, but she couldn't hear him. His voice became drowned out by her screams. The windows in the house shattered, dirt flew up from the ground, and rocks flew in every direction. She didn't want to stop. It all hurt too much…

"Rey!" someone called her name. She ignored it and kept screaming. "Rey!" this time it was a little louder, and she finally stopped.

Rey opened her eyes to find Poe Dameron shaking her.

"Rey! Wake up!" he yelled.

"What? What happened?" looking around, Rey finally she realized where she was. They were in the main control room on base. There was no forest, no house and no parents…

She sighed in relief. It was only a nightmare.

"I think you were sleepwalking! Are you alright?"

She shook her head. "I think so. I was having a nightmare" she looked at him sheepishly.

"That's alright. I have nightmares too. Would it help to talk about it?" he mused.

"Maybe at another time." She reassured him.

"It must have been a hell-of-a nightmare, by the looks of this place." He claimed. "It's as if a space storm flew through here."

Her eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"

Poe gestured around them. Maps and books strewn everywhere, headpieces had fallen off their tables, and a few of the monitors had been cracked.

Her heart still racing from the dream, Rey couldn't believe her eyes. _I did this?_

"Look… I can clean this place up, but you should go back and get some sleep. Would you like me to walk you back?" he offered.

"Thank you Poe, but I should be fine…" she let her words trail off, still trying to comprehend what had happened. She began to walk away, but Poe stopped her, his gaze serious.

"Whatever it was that you dreamed about? Don't let it get to you." Letting her go, he began to organize the books back on their proper shelves.

Wandering back to her room in a trance, Rey couldn't help but feel a sense of lost. Her parent's faces had been so close. And she had felt her mother's touch.

Whether the dream had really happened that way or not, like Poe said, she couldn't let it get to her. Rey didn't want to be stuck in the past anymore. She wanted to create a better future. She had to let go.


	19. Chapter 19: Cross that Bridge

Rey woke up before Jessika the next morning. Looking at herself in the mirror, her eyelids sagged and had formed dark circles. She hadn't been able to sleep much after her sleep walking.

She remembered the promise she had made to herself about letting go. So instead of doing her usual tri-buns, she opted for a different style today.

Putting only half her hair in a braid, she let the rest fall into place. Her hair had grown just past her shoulders, and it was mostly straight with a few wavy pieces. A few minutes later, she looked completely different. She would even say she looked older.

"I like it. It suits you." Jessika said from behind her. Rey hadn't realized she was awake.

"Thanks." Rey mumbled, and finished getting dressed. She wasn't used to receiving compliments.

For the first time in days, Rey thought about the prisoner on base. No one had really mentioned Kylo Ren since the interrogation. She supposed Leia wanted to keep it low key, but Rey wondered what would happen to him. In that moment, it occurred to her that she wanted to speak to him without an audience.

 _How would I go about sneaking into a heavily guarded prison room without anyone noticing…?_

And then it hit her.

She spun to face Jess. "How close are Poe and Leia?" she asked randomly.

"Poe is one of her most trusted confidants. I suppose she would tell him anything."

 _Good._ "Does your team have any more training today?"

"Yes, not until this afternoon though. Why all the sudden questions?"

A determined look in her eye, Rey grabbed her side pouch and ran out the door. "I need to speak to Poe."

* * *

Pulling him aside, and out of earshot of bystanders, Rey asked Poe what she had been thinking through all morning.

"Last night, did anyone see us?" she asked, hoping the answer was no.

"Not a soul." He said, seeming surprised. "Usually the guards do their rounds through their, but they just missed us."

"Good. I need a favor. No questions asked."

Rey studied his face, watching it turn from doubt to suspicion. He put both hands on his hips. "What is it?" he sighed. "This isn't about the sleepwalking is it?" he suddenly looked concerned.

She shook her head. "I need you to meet me around the same time as last night, except by conference room. I need a big favor… but you can't tell anyone." She whispered.

"Rey, what are you talking about?" he asked confused.

"Just meet me later." She slipped a piece of paper into his hand, and strode away before he could ask any more questions.

* * *

That night, Rey pretended to be asleep when Jess came back after their training session. She waited patiently as Jess took a shower and got into bed. Once Rey could hear steady breathing, she pulled on her boots which she left next to her bed frame, and slipped into the hallway.

The coast was clear, so Rey walked normally. She turned a few more corners and halted to a stop as two guards walked down the corridor. _Shoot._

If her plan was going to go smoothly, she needed to make sure no one saw her out tonight. Slipping into a space in the wall between two pipes, she waited until the guards walked passed.

She wiped the sweat forming on her brow. She wasn't quite sure why she was doing this, or why she _wanted_ to. All Rey knew was that she might have better luck speaking with Kylo if no one was there to watch his every move.

Finally, Rey reached the hallway across from the confinement doors, where another two guards stood. She looked at the clock across the hall.

 _Any minute now…_

She watched nervously as the clocked ticked another minute, and then right on time, Poe snuck around the corner. He was still wearing his orange jump suit from training.

"Okay, you need to tell me what the _hell_ we are doing!" he whispered frustratingly.

"I will, Poe, I promise! But first, did you get the access card?" she held her hand out.

He rolled his eyes and reached for his back pocket. "Of course I did. Do you know who you're talking to? Now, why do you need this?"

She grinned. "I need to have a chat with Kylo."

His eyes grew wide. "Rey… this is a _bad_ idea. Do you have any idea what he is capable of?"

"Of course I do. But if we are going to find out what he is up to, I need to talk to him without anyone watching from the other room."

His brows furrowed. "What makes you think he is up to something?"

"Why hasn't he tried to escape? He could have killed Luke and I both on the island, and stolen the Falcon, but he didn't." _Correction, he would have killed Luke and Chewbacca and then taken me with him._ But she didn't mention that detail.

"Poe… you need to trust me on this, okay?" she pleaded.

He sighed, but was finally won over. "I'll do it. It'll take a few minutes though. I can insert the access key to undo the prison emergency lock, but it is a few corridors away. Might need help with the guards too. There are security cameras in the same room, so if anything goes wrong…"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." She stated. "Come on."

After reaching the external prison guard room, the two companions observed from across the hall.

"If I get the access key into the emergency lock, I won't need the protocol droid. We just need to do something about those guards." He said.

"Leave that to me." Confidently, Rey strode into the room. The guards looked up, surprised to see a girl in here so late.

"I'm sorry miss, but you aren't supposed to be—."

"You will turn off the protocol droid." She persuaded.

"I will turn off the protocol droid." The first one said, completing her commands.

"You will both go to sleep now. Neither of you will have recollection of me being here."

"We will have no recollection of you being here." They both said in-sync, and fell fast asleep in their chairs.

Poe strolled up behind her. "You are one amazing women." He marveled.

"I know." Turning on her foot, she ran out of the room, leaving Poe to do his work.

* * *

Rey waited outside the cell's door, waiting patiently for Poe to open it. She had put these guards to sleep just as easily as the others. Hopefully, she would be long gone by the time they woke up.

Finally, Rey heard a buzz, and the wall shifted. The door opened itself from the outside in a hiss. She mentally prepared herself as she walked into the white room once more.

Looking to her right, to her surprise she saw a scene vastly different than what she expected. Instead of being in the chair, Kylo lay on a single bed that had grown from the wall. He had a blanket too, that only covered half of his tall frame.

Rey could feel her heart racing. She had been expecting him to be bound so she could feel safer while questioning him.

 _Maybe I should just go…_

She looked up in the corner of the room where the security camera was, and she knew Poe was watching their every move. She had nothing to fear.

She barely took one step forward when Kylo's voice echoed throughout the tiny room.

"I wasn't expecting any visitors." He mumbled, turning over. But when his eyes focused on Rey, he jolted up, blanket falling on its side. "You?"

"Stay there." Rey commanded, putting one hand out.

He scoffed. "Don't worry, scavenger girl. Still cuffed." He put his hands above his head for her to see. "What brings you here so late in the night? Couldn't stop thinking about me?" he smirked.

She sighed out of annoyance, trying not to let it get to her. "I just… wanted to ask you a few questions. No one knows I'm here."

 _Well, almost no one._

"So now you're sneaking around for me? Have to say I'm impressed. Like the new hair too." He leaned backed lazily on the wall, one foot hanging over the edge.

Ignoring his last comment, she decided not to beat around the bush anymore. "What's your game, Kylo?"

"I'm not quite sure what you mean." He told her with his usual poker face.

"Don't toy with me. You easily could have killed us back at the island, or at least _tried_ to escape. But you didn't even try. And I don't think you're the giving up type." She folded her arms.

He looked her dead in the eyes. "I thought you would have figured out why by now. _I changed my mind._ "

Finally some truth. "What did you change your mind about?"

He broke eye contact with her, going silent.

Rey walked closer, desperate for his answer. "Kylo, please. I just want the truth, for once."

Rey could tell he was on the cusp of finally answering her, but she pushed him harder. "I remember." She whispered. She hadn't realized the truth until she said it.

He looked up. "What did you say?"

"I remember everything. Well, almost. I remember what happened on Yavin-4."

He sat up straighter. "Luke finally told you, didn't he?" disapproval of his old master washed over his face.

"Yes, he did. But I had a dream about it last night too." She felt her throat closing up. "I saw… my parents for the first time in years, in my dream. And I saw Luke, who looked like a completely different man. And you were only a boy."

"I was fifteen." He corrected. "I remember every second of that day."

She nodded. How could he ever forget a day like that?

"In my dream, when I saw my parents, lying there lifeless… in my anger, everything around me exploded. Did that really happen?"

He shook his head yes. "Luke had never seen that much Force energy in a youngling before. When he brought you with us on our ship, I thought at first that he would take you with us. That he would train you and teach you how to control it. But I was wrong."

"I know that bit…" she recalled. She didn't want him to repeat what Luke had already told her. "What happened after I was gone? To you I mean."

He sighed. "You really want to know?" he demanded.

"It's why I'm here." She stated blatantly.

He hesitated for a moment, but it seemed that Rey had chipped away at his walls. "I was already angry at my parents for dropping me off with Luke. Han was never there for me as a kid; he was always going off on some mission or doing some trade. And Leia was always at Senate meetings. At least she was there when I needed her."

Rey couldn't help but pity him. His childhood had to of been rough, and not having a father figure around had probably made it worse.

"But after Luke just dropped you off like that? Well…" he shook his head. " _That_ was the tipping point. It wasn't until I learned who my grandfather was that I realized the truth and did something about it."

"And what truth was that?" she asked quietly.

"That you can't rely on anyone else." He stated matter-of-factly. "Relying on others is a weakness."

She shook her head. "That's Snoke talking."

His voice became shaky. "He made me _realize it_. And you can realize it too Rey. Your own parents worked for the Supreme Leader in secret. If Luke wouldn't have interfered, we would have ended up on the same side."

She shook her head vigorously, growing increasingly frustrated. "I don't _care_ that my parents were dark side users! They're dead! What matters is where I am now. And I am exactly where I am supposed to be. In fact, I think everything that happened was meant to happen that way."

As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized it was true. "If you think about it… As a kid, I had dark-side abilities. I was forced to live in solitary for thirteen years, so at the right moment in time, I would be ready. And ever since realizing I was Force sensitive, I have only felt the pull to the light side."

He looked lost as to where she was going with all of this.

"Don't you get it!" she grew excited at her sudden epiphany. "I'm the reincarnate of Anakin Skywalker because he had unfinished business. He never completed his mission of bringing balance to the force as the Chosen One because he became Darth Vader. That's why I am here now. To bring balance to the Force."

Bewildered, Kylo gaped at her, completely speechless. "That was, umm…"

"Sorry." She hadn't really meant to just blurt it out like that. But she didn't regret it. Maybe hearing it could alter his perspective.

"I'm still trying to get used to the idea, of you being…" he through his hands up in the air. He rose to his feet, sauntering closer to Rey. "Funny thing is, I don't see anyone else when I look at you. I only see Rey."

For the first time ever, Rey felt herself blushing. "Is that what made you change your mind?"

"Partially. But it wasn't until I realized that we had a Force bond that I really changed my mind about escaping. I saw it as a way further understand why we have one. And for some reason, you have hope that I can change. Is that right?"

She nodded, yes, not stopping to question how he had figured that out.

"I'm sorry to disappoint." he answered. He turned to go back to his bed.

Rey refused to take that as an answer. "Can't you see?" she pleaded. "Look what Snoke has done to you. You were never meant to follow in Darth Vader's shadow. He is only using you in his game, and once he doesn't need you anymore, he'll just throw you away."

Kylo turned, not completely facing her. "No one can help me." He resolved.

Rey smiled sheepishly. "I can."

They made eye contact. "And how do you propose to do that?"

She took a deep breath. "We destroy Snoke. Together."


	20. Chapter 20: An Untold Story

_She took a deep breath. "We destroy Snoke. Together."_

* * *

Kylo calculated his next move. His poker face returned. "And why would I do that?"

She crossed her arms. "I know that you fear Snoke. So much to the point that you have to bury your true feelings for him, hiding them as respect instead."

"That's not true." He denied through his teeth.

"Isn't it?" she urged.

At long last, Kylo let out a deep sigh. He raised his shackled hands showing that Rey was right. "How long have you known?"

 _Finally, we are getting somewhere._ "Since the last time I saw you. The Force bond was… strong."

He nodded. "I could feel it too." He assured. "Can I tell you a story? It won't take long."

Rey looked back at the security camera, knowing she had limited time. She held up a five to the camera.

"You have five minutes." She said, turning back to Kylo.

He nodded. "As a kid, I grew up around politicians. We would often live in the high towers of big cities. My mother was very important— I didn't realize how much until I was older. I knew of her home planet Alderaan, and my grandparents who had lived and died there. Only I never knew they were my adoptive grandparents."

He got up from his seat and began pacing. "One night, when I was four, my parents were supposed to go out to dinner. At the time we were living in Coruscant. I remember not wanting them to leave, so I tried to make the passenger ship leave without them."

"Leave without them?" she puzzled.

"It was the first time I had used telekinesis. When my parents saw I had lifted the ship in midair, my mother picked me up, asking me to stop. My fa— Han— stood there in shock. They decided not to go to dinner after all."

"And after that?"

"After that, I started… seeing things. First, it was a voice in the back of my head, whispering things. My mother shooed it off, explaining that it had only been a dream, or that I was imagining things. But then I did start to dream… it was always the same man with a scarred and crinkled face."

"Snoke." Rey mumbled.

He nodded. "There was one time, when I got angry at a kid. I didn't know who he was then, but Snoke told me to use my power to defend myself." He looked into his hands. "After that, my mother listened to me. She took me to see Luke, who agreed to start training me."

"But the voice didn't stop, did it?" she guessed, already knowing the answer.

"No. And it never truly has. Luke began training me in his new Academy, and well, you know the rest..."

"Do I?" she pushed him further. "When did you finally join Snoke?"

"It was only a year after I found out who my grandfather was. Finally, the mysterious man appeared to me and had a proposition. To join the Knights of Ren and destroy the Temple."

Rey knew the next question might get under his skin, but she needed to ask him anyways. "Do you regret what you did?"

He looked at her confused. She tried to read into his emotions, but he was trying to block her out. "Regret what?"

"Let me rephrase. Do you feel like you were in control of your own actions, or was Snoke feeding into your emotions?"

He stopped pacing, in taking his breath. Unexpectedly, he walked right up to Rey without saying anything. But he didn't have to. She sensed him finally breaking away his mental barriers, finally letting her in. She didn't have to use the Force to read his mind; their bond was already doing that for her.

 _He has been haunting me my whole life. I thought he was wise… that I was supposed to follow him for a reason. But I'm not so sure anymore._

Rey gasped at the instant connection to his thoughts. This was beyond anything she had ever had with anyone. _Then let me help you. I can get you out of this cell… to start over. It won't be easy. If I can make them see…_

 _I'm a killer Rey. That's all anyone will ever see in me._

 _Perhaps they see you that way now. But you can redeem yourself, Kylo. Everyone is capable of redemption. You are not an exception._ She placed her hand on his arm to further her point.

He looked to her hand. _And you want me to redeem myself by helping you… kill Snoke?_

She shook her head yes. _Don't you want that?_

Kylo ended the connection, and backed away. "Okay." He uttered. "I'll do it."

Rey could feel herself breath again. Their moment had been intense. But she had finished what she came for.

Right on cue, the door to the cell opened. Rey took her leave, but before she stepped out the door, Kylo spoke up.

"When will you return?" he asked. His tone had changed from brooding to hopeful.

"Do you trust me?" she asked.

"Yes." He said in a heartbeat.

Her mouth slanted upwards in a smile. "As soon as I can."


	21. Chapter 21: A Second Chance

Rey ran down the hall with a sense of purpose. She had to get a meeting together, with Luke and Leia, and the other Admirals. If she could convince the other Resistance members that Kylo was finally willing to help them, there may be hope to finally defeat Snoke after all.

She was so focused on her thoughts that she ran straight into Poe.

"Woh! You okay?!" she stammered.

"Yah, I'm good! What the hell happened in there? I couldn't hear anything."

She ushered him to follow. "I think I made a break through with Kylo. He is going to help us find and kill Snoke. We have to tell—."

Poe stopped Rey in her tracks. "Are you kidding me? He is using you! He just wants to escape and get his revenge." He reasoned.

"Look, I know this seems hard to believe, but no. He isn't."

She brushed passed him, heading for her room. She had to get back before Jess woke up.

"Rey!" Poe called after her.

"I'm going to call a meeting when everyone wakes up. Will you be there?" she offered.

Scratching the back of his head, he let out a deep sigh. "Of course I will. I just don't see how it's possible."

"You will, Poe. And thank you."

* * *

A few hours later, Rey had gathered everyone back to the conference room. Poe came as promised, bringing Jessika and Finn with him. Admiral Ackbar and Statura sat on either side of General Organa, and Luke took his place next to Rey at the other end of the table.

"Now that we are all here, what would you like to discuss Rey?" The General asked.

She scanned the room as all eyes focused on her. She looked to Poe for reassurance, and he nodded.

"I have called you here today…" out of the corner of her eye, Luke shifted in his seat. "…to discuss the terms of Kylo's release."

The room was completely still for a moment, and then it erupted. Admiral Statura sprung up from his chair. "If _you_ think we are going to let a war criminal _waltz_ on out of here, you have another thing coming!"

"Rey, you can't be serious?!" Finn exclaimed.

Poe held his hand out. "I hate to say it, but Statura may have a point."

"Enough!" Leia pounded her fist on the table. "Rey, I have to know, what is the meaning of this?"

"I just need you all to listen. Give me five minutes. Please?" she looked in Statura's direction, and the Admiral finally took a seat.

"Five minutes." Leia agreed.

"Ever since the island, I've sensed a… change in Kylo. A small change, but it's still there."

Admiral Ackbar spoke up. "I believe in the Force and its power, my dear, but how is it possible for you to sense this?"

Taken aback by his question, Rey looked to Luke. He hadn't spoken throughout the meeting, but he did now.

"It's okay, Rey. You can tell them." He reassured her. She supposed this might be the only way for them to understand that Kylo's intentions were true.

"Kylo and I unintentionally have a Force bond, Admiral. We don't know why, but it's there. That means I can hear his thoughts and emotions over long— or short— distances."

Finn looked to Rey in disbelief. "How come you didn't tell me?"

"I'm sorry…"

Her attention was brought back to Leia. "So I'm assuming you want to talk with him, to see if he can be swayed?" Leia speculated.

"Well, I kind of did already… with some help."

Poe cleared his throat.

"You did _what?"_ Luke chimed in.

"And what did you find out Rey?" Leia pleaded.

"Hard to believe, but Kylo wants the same thing we do. He wants Snoke dead. And hear me out!" she exclaimed before anyone could interrupt her again. "He doesn't just want Snoke dead. He wants to help us."

Leia's looked as if she was about to cry. "Is this true, Rey? _Are you sure?_ " she emphasized every word.

"Yes." she reassured the mother.

"Impossible." Luke muttered next to Rey.

"I'm sorry General Organa, but I have to agree with Skywalker. And well, your judgement isn't exactly unbiased on the matter."

Luke sighed. "I believe you Rey, it's just hard to believe him."

Rey pleaded with Luke. "Then let me show you proof. Everyone is capable of redemption." She repeated the same words she had told Kylo, and watched as they had the same effect.

Luke seemed to be mulling this news over. To her surprise, he seemed to be changing his mind. "Alright. He gets one chance. _One_." He put one finger up for clarification. "I'm doing this for you, not for him. He makes one wrong move, and we go back to the original plan." He ordered.

Rey took a deep breath. She knew what they were about to do was risky— stupid, even. And even with all the risks, Rey couldn't help but feel that they were making the right decision. If this brought him back to the light side of the Force, perhaps she could trust the man after all.

Rey looked to the rest of the group for their vote.

"I'm going to say yes. I just want my son back. But… if it comes to it, do what you have to do Luke." Leia resolved.

Poe raised his hand. "If Leia votes yes, so do I." he winked at Rey.

Admiral Ackbar was next on the vote. "May the Force be with us all." He concluded. Re took that as a yes.

"I still think it's risky. Mad even." Statura sighed. "But, if we do this… I'll personally set up protocols around Ren that need to be put in place."

"Agreed." Leia said.

Only Finn and Jess were left. Jessika reached for Poe's shoulder, but he brushed her off, crossing his arms. "I vote no."

Jessika finally spoke up too. "Sorry, Rey." She shrugged.

Trying not to let Finn's distrust faze her, she drew her attention to Leia.

"Alright, then. Five to two." Leia concluded. "Now let's get to work, shall we?"

* * *

Luke and Rey walked to the prison room, with six guards behind them.

"So did you ever find out Snoke's location?" Rey realized she had never asked him.

He shook his head. "I have my theories, but no luck so far. If you are right about this, perhaps he can point us in the right direction this time." He said hopefully. "I did however finish your Lightsaber if you want to do some combat training tomorrow?"

Rey grinned from ear to ear. "I can't wait!" she answered excitedly.

They finally reached the prison, and once again, Rey walked inside. Luke and three of the guards followed right behind her.

Kylo was resting on his bed with his back against the wall. He sat up straighter as the new guests came in.

"That was fast." He said, seeming impressed.

"So Rey has told us you've agreed to help us. What's in it for you?" Luke asked, getting down to business.

Kylo arched forward, his eyes calculated. "Same as you. I want Snoke dead."

Luke nodded his head and walked towards the Knight. "Then I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I did some digging?"

 _You have to let him in. just for a moment._ She urged Kylo.

"Okay." He responded. Rey couldn't tell if it was a response to her or Luke.

In an instant, Luke held out his hand, searching through Ren's mind for any inaccuracies in Rey's story. After about a minute, he drew his hands back.

He pivoted towards Rey. "It's true. You were right…" He looked bewildered and in utter disbelief. He motioned to the guards behind him. "Take him to his new quarters." He commanded. He addressed Ren seriously. "You will receive instructions on protocol that _must_ be followed. Make no mistake, this is your only and last chance."

With that, Luke turned and left the room without another word.

"Note taken." Kylo mumbled, and he and Rey stood there awkwardly as the guards unchained his cuff from the wall. Finally free to move around once more, he sauntered up to her.

"What you just did for me… deserves a thank you." He admitted. She noticed how his tall frame looked slightly less menacing.

Shocked that he had just showed her gratitude, she said nothing as they walked towards his new room. The Base was brimming with workers now, and multiple people stopped in their tracks as the two of them paced down the corridors.

"You said you trust me right?" Rey asked him once more.

"I did. Even more so now that I know you keep your word."

She chose her words carefully. "Then show me you can keep yours." The guards stopped them, already reaching Kylo's room. " _Promise_ me that you will do everything they say?" she requested.

"Why are you doing this for me?"

She looked up into his sad eyes. Rey realized he genuinely didn't know. "I wasn't sure at first… but I finally figured it out. I have hope for you."

For the first time ever, Rey saw a spark of light in those dark eyes of his. But just like that, it was gone. "I promise." He vowed.

* * *

It felt like a long walk back to her own room. She should have been thinking about food, or finding Finn to explain, or excited for her new Lightsaber. Yet, all Rey could think about how she had been right all along. That there was still some piece of Ben left inside the man known as Kylo.

And maybe she could bring Ben back.


	22. Chapter 22: Sparks Fly

The next morning, Rey woke up to the sound of knocking on her door. She had a least another hour before breakfast, and she figured no one would be up this early. Throwing a sweater on, she opened the door.

"Hi." A tired Poe greeted her. "Just wondering if you wanted to go on a run, before breakfast?"

"Why not?" she yawned. She was already up now. Plus, she had all but stopped her endurance training since she got to the base.

Once out in the woods, the two companions began a slow jog, side by side. The trees were barely visible, surrounded by a layer of fog. The sun had not yet risen, causing a blue shadow to fall over the forest.

"So do you get up this early every morning?" Rey asked between breaths.

"Actually yes." He said. "Sometimes I'll sleep in, but I find getting the endorphins pumping will get my day going." He admitted.

She could agree to that. She watched as the bushes parted and they had more space on the trail. Poe picked up the pace. "You able to keep up?" he teased, glancing sideways.

She strode a bit past him. "Can you?" she countered.

"Oh, I have a little competition now!" He grinned.

The pair sprinted as fast as they could. Her heartbeat raced and sweat formed on her brow. Finally, they came to the waterfall hidden behind the base.

Poe took a rest, leaning on his knees while trying to catch his breath. Rey walked straight to the water and took a drink.

Rey watched as Poe admired the grand waterfall. "You know the locals call this the Phantom Cascades." He mentioned. "Their legends tell of ghosts that congregate here on the coldest day of the year."

She was amused by that. "Do you believe in ghosts?"

He shrugged. "It's just a story."

They sat in silence for a few moments, breathing in the crisp morning air. Poe was right— her mind was fresh and ready for the day.

"What really happened in there?"

Rey was caught off guard by Poe's sudden question. "What do you mean? I explained it all in the meeting." She said casually.

He straightened up, clarifying what he meant. "I was watching on the cameras Rey. And I don't want you to think I'm invading your privacy. What you and… _Kylo..._ discuss is between the two of you."

She agreed, that it was really none of his business. But he had helped her, and she couldn't blame him for being curious.

"First he came at you, and I was prepared to open the doors in case he tried anything. But then… there was this moment between the two of you."

"I know." She assured. "It was the Force bond. I was just reading his thoughts, trying to get him to tell me the truth."

"No, Rey. It was much more than that. It's like you had this mutual understanding of one another. I saw the look in your eyes. It was more than you are letting on."

She instantly disregarded the notion that he and Kylo had anything more than the Force bond. The notion that she _felt_ anything more for him than she was letting on was crazy. She had only felt pity for him... but also hope that he would return to the man he once was.

The only reason she was led to believe this all went back to the Prophecy; perhaps this was what she was meant to do, how to balance the Force.

At least, that's what she told herself.

She looked Poe square in the eye. "No, there's nothing else."

He sighed. "Could've fooled me." He gave her a small smile, and brushed passed her. "Come on, let's finish our run."

* * *

By the time Rey and Poe had reached home, it seemed the whole base was in full swing. The large doors had been opened to the hangar, and a few X-wings were being rolled out.

"Doing some more training today?" Rey asked.

"Luckily, no. Finally have a mission." He said, getting pumped.

She knew he had to be aching to go on a mission again. "Where to?"

He paused, thinking for a moment. "A system not far from here. There are a few trade ships that may be holding First Order spies. We have to board them to make sure our base isn't discovered."

Navigating around the X-wings, they walked towards the banquet hall. She could tell he was hiding something, but she wasn't sure what.

"Is Finn going with you?" she asked.

Poe turned. "Not sure. It wouldn't surprise me though."

She laughed. "I didn't know Finn could fly a ship."

"Still can't." Poe answered. He chuckled, lightening the mood. He walked faster now. "But Finn is pretty good at being able to tell First Order from an ordinary citizen. And crazy good with blasters. So he is an important asset."

"Yah, I guess he is." She agreed. Rey was happy that Finn seemed to be fitting in quite well with his new comrades. But to her, he seemed… distant. They hadn't spent much time together since she had gotten back, but she supposed this was her problem as much as his.

So after Poe and Rey had gotten their food, she sat down in her usual spot next to Finn.

"Ewww, you guys reek!" Jessika complained, holding up her nose.

"What, you don't like how I smell Jess? Maybe I'll show up to breakfast like this every day." Poe joked, putting his armpit in her face.

"Bad form!" she yelled and shooed him away.

"So you guys went on an early run then, huh?" Finn spoke up.

"Yah. Just to clear our heads." Poe answered, chowing down on his food. He glanced over in Rey's direction. "So, are you planning on going on the mission later?" he asked.

Finn stood up a bit straighter. "I am actually. Leia gave me the greenlight. I suppose she trusts me now."

Rey didn't know if this was a jab at her, but she wasn't about to it bother her nonetheless. "Finn, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Her and her best friend pulled away from the group, out of earshot.

"Look, I realized today that I wasn't absolutely truthful with you." she admitted.

"No. You weren't." he said plainly.

She sighed. Why couldn't he see that she hadn't exactly told _anyone_? That it was personal? "I'm sorry okay? But it wasn't exactly something I wanted advertised…"

He looked exasperated. "Rey, it's not because you didn't want to tell me." He offered. "It's because you felt like you had to hide it!"

"So… you aren't mad?"

He bobbed his head. "Well, at first… yah. But I understand why you did it. But Rey, you've easily become my best friend over the past few months, even when you were gone. I was there when you fought Kylo. I just thought you would want to talk with someone about it, you know?"

Rey had been so paranoid that people would treat her differently upon finding out about her Force bond, that she had forgotten the one person who had never failed her. Finn was the only one who knew about the prophecy besides Luke, Leia and Kylo. She had no reason _not_ to trust him.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Rey hugged Finn. "Let's hang out more, okay?" she resolved, speaking over his shoulder.

He hugged her tighter, and she took that for a yes.

Rey watched as Jess eyed the two friends. She gave Rey a small smile and got up from her spot, walking to the bay doors.

Breaking the hug, Rey turned Finn in her direction. "I think there is something you've been waiting to do." She grinned as a look of realization came over Finn's face.

"I'll catch you later Rey!" he declared, suddenly in a hurry.

Poe yelled from the table. "I take it you guys are good now?" He put his thumb up.

Rey watched as Finn dashed to the female pilot. He spun her around, and the annoyed look on her face all but disappeared when he kissed her.

"Yah, I'd say we are good." She smiled.

* * *

"Good luck!" Rey called. She stood next to Leia on the runway as the X-wings began their ascent. Poe saluted them from his cockpit, and Finn and Jess waved from theirs.

"They'll be fine." Leia assured her. Rey tried to convince herself that Leia was right; she couldn't help but worry.

It was only now that Rey brought up the events from the day before. "So, have you gone to see him?" she asked Leia.

"I should be asking you the same question." The General mused.

There was some truth to that. "I was planning on talking to him. I just…"

"… don't know what to say?" Leia said, finishing for her. "Me either. How do you approach your own son after he has been your prisoner?"

Rey knew how hard it had to be for Leia in all of this. How much strength it took to trust in Rey that her son wouldn't betray them again. She only hoped that her intuition had been correct, for Leia's sake.

"I haven't had one lone discussion with him since I sent him off to train with Luke. And now… he's all grown up. There are parts of him I still see… the color of his hair, his voice. But his eyes are different. I see a stranger in his eyes."

Rey consoled Leia, placing her right hand on her shoulder. "There is hope for him; I've seen it. I've seen how strongly the dark side holds on to him, but he still feels the pull to the light. And if the light is still there, then that's all he needs."

Leia brought her hand up to Rey's. No words needed to be spoken, because Rey had said it all. The two women shared a mutual understanding with one another… and the same hope.

* * *

Rey let the Force guide her through the corridors of the base. Eventually, she stumbled upon Kylo's quarters without realizing it.

She spoke with the guards outside his door, and they let her in without any trouble. Turning the knob, she crept in.

She found a brooding Kylo lounging on his bed, throwing towards the ceiling and then catching it. He wore new clothes: tan pants, tan shirt and a black vest with a Resistance symbol on its sleeve, similar to Rey's new blue shirt. He looked more… human.

"Hi, stranger." She greeted, leaning against the opposite wall.

"Hi, yourself." He continued to throw the ball.

She sighed. "Have you even left this room?"

"Now why…" he began, and suddenly the ball stopped midair and began to float. "…would I do that?" he finished.

She rolled her eyes. Sometimes he acted like a moody teenager. "Well, you would think after being given freedom you would at least want to walk _outside_ and I don't know…"

He sat up, leaning against his wall. "Smell the fresh air? Marvel at my captors place of residence?" he responded sarcastically. "As much as you hate to say it, Rey, I'm still a prisoner here."

She sighed, and knew he was right. But at least now she might be able to work with him, if he would let her.

So she decided for him that he didn't get to brood anymore. "Come on." She told him. Rey reached for the door knob, but he stopped her.

"You really think they are going to just let me walk around?" he questioned. She could tell he honestly believed it.

"Yes." She said confidently. Finally, the floating ball dropped into Kylo's hand, and he set it aside.

"Alright then. After you, scavenger girl." He motioned his hand towards the door.

As soon as they set foot outside the door, one of the guards protested.

"Miss, are you sure…?"

"I'm well aware of the situation, sir. I have this handled." She responded quickly. The guard nodded.

"Well this is a bit annoying." Kylo whispered into Rey's ear as the guards followed them down the hall.

"Protocol. Can't exactly have you running around with no supervision." She teased.

He didn't find it funny.

"I see you are sporting a new hairstyle?" he motioned to Rey's hair that now rested on her shoulders.

"I thought I should try something new once in a while." She shrugged. "Why do you care?"

It was as if he had suddenly grown mute, because he didn't answer.

"Where are we going, scavenger girl?" Kylo finally asked.

"I thought you might enjoy something." Was all she said. She wanted it to be a surprise.

Finally they reached the command center doors, but the guards stopped them there.

"This is as far as he goes." One of them said.

She knew it made sense that he didn't see any of the Resistance, plans, so she promised she would be right back.

Running into the command center, she saw Luke at one of the far computers with Admiral Ackbar. She walked in as they were in the middle of discussing something.

"…it might be that planet, but I don't think there are enough resources there for a First Order base." Luke advised.

The Admiral agreed, and saw Rey standing beside them.

"Nice to see you again." he nodded. She said the same and Luke turned to her.

"Anything I can help you with?" he asked.

She hoped he would agree. "Yes, actually. I was wondering if we could do a bit of training?"

"Now?" he emphasized, and looked back to the chart on the screen.

The Admiral spoke up. "Go, Skywalker! Come back in a few hours. There really is nothing else we can do today." He urged.

"Well, if you say so…" Luke agreed, and walked with Rey.

"Never much into politics anyways." He mumbled out of Ackbar's earshot.

Rey laughed. "I suppose that's your sister's role?"

He nodded, and laughed too. But he stopped the moment they saw Kylo standing past the automatic doors. Immediately, he turned to Rey with an expression of disbelief.

She held her hands up. "Just hear me out! Let him watch for a bit."

"No." was all he said and he began walking away. She ran after him, Kylo shortly after her.

"Luke, wait!"

"Look, I know what you are trying to do here, Rey. But the last thing you want is for _him_ to know your strengths and your weaknesses in a fight. So we can practice, just not with him." She knew what he said was final, and it annoyed her that she really didn't have a good argument.

"Fine. But can I meet up with you later then?" she asked.

She watched as Luke eyed Kylo. "Fine. But let me know if you need _anything_." He emphasized the last word, and walked back in the direction of his quarters.

Thoroughly annoyed, Rey sauntered to the doors that led outside. Breathing in fresh air always helped.

"Think he'll always hate me?" Kylo finally spoke. His tall figure had enabled him to catch up to her, so they took the same strides.

"No, I think he just needs time." She didn't look to him as she answered.

There wasn't a cloud in the sky as they walked on to the runway. Rey saw in the distance that all the trees had lost their green leaves, now all of them orange and reddish colors.

She turned to the guards. "Could you fall back a bit? We are going to head to the woods."

She watched nervously as they unholstered their blasters. "Just a precaution ma'am." one said. Rey knew Kylo could snap their necks before they ever fired, but she decided not to say so.

After a long silence, Kylo finally cleared his throat. "Is, umm… your friend here?" he murmured. It took her a minute to realize he was talking about Finn.

She nodded. "He's doing great, actually." She said happily. "If that's what you were referring to?" she asked, the subject awkward enough. She wasn't great at small talk.

"Hmmm." Was all he said.

After walking a short distance through the woods, the two came upon a clearing. Wheat grass covered the entirety of it and every now and then the wind would pick up, taking dead leaves with it. It was an eerie but comforting sight.

Rey began to stroll towards the center of the clearing, but Kylo pulled her back by the elbow.

"Why are we really here?" he whispered. His face was so close to Rey's that she could feel his breath. "The truth, please."

For a moment, Rey completely forgot why they were here. Gazing into his dark eyes, she was suddenly lost in them.

 _Snap out of it._

"I…" she began, but was at a loss for words.

He opened his mouth, and realization dawned on his face. "Oh. It's about the Force bond, isn't it?"

She nodded, and without a word, brushed through the wheat grass. Kylo was close behind. In unison, they sat facing one another

"I need to understand it." She finally admitted.

"I do too." He said as he looked into her eyes. She watched as he reached for her hands. She flinched, but he grasped them anyways.

At first, nothing happened. "Maybe take the gloves off?" she responded, without realizing she had even thought it.

He took them off and threw them aside. Rey tried to slow her breathing as he placed his bare hands into her own.

A spark of energy shuddered through her body. It was like her senses had been finely tuned, and she was seeing the world through different eyes. Rey closed her eyes, taking it in. And in that moment, she peered deep into Kylo's Force energy. She saw darkness, as she had always expected. But then, tucked away, there was a spark of light.

Suddenly, the connection was broken. She opened her eyes, gasping. Across from her Kylo was doing the same.

Their hands no longer touching, Rey pondered over what had just happened. "Did you see…?" she asked.

"I saw…" Kylo responded at the same time, gasping for breath.

Eyes cast down, an uncomfortable silence followed. After having shared so many personal details over a short period of time, the pair had come to realize how close their bond actually was.

"May I…?" Kylo spoke, his voice wavering. He ushered his hand to her palm. At first, her hand didn't move, but finally she gave in to the feeling.

She felt it again: the spark. She was beginning to crave it.

"Close your eyes. Imagine the forest around you, whether it's from a memory or a sensation." His voice hummed.

"Why?" she asked, her voice low and soft.

"I want to see something."

Rey did what he said. She closed her eyes, her heart barely beating in her chest. She imagined herself away from Kylo, and instead below the Phantom Cascades. She loved the drumming and gushing of the water. There was irony in how the water gravitated downwards, beating and eroding stones; and yet, it was calming. It soothed even her troubled mind.

She imagined the steps she would take to get there, her boots crunching through the autumn leaves. How the wind would tear dead leaves off branches and the air would turn bitter, a reminder that winter would soon arrive.

This morning, the waterfall had been gloomy and overcast, living up to its name. But she imagined it how she preferred: with the sun just dropping below the treetops at the golden hour, casting shadows over the treetops and the small pool that lay at the bottom.

Kylo finally pulled his hand away, ending her daydream.

For the first time, he genuinely smiled at Rey. He seemed awestruck.

"That was beautiful." He gasped. "I actually felt like I was there. The sensation was so real."

"You felt that?" She felt more surprised than he did.

He nodded. "And not just felt; I saw you walking to the waterfall. You have quite the imagination don't you?" he teased.

She blushed. "Well." She said, looking around. "I didn't exactly have this back on Jakku. All I saw was sand and mountains…"

His face fell, and she could feel his guilt.

"Hey, it's okay. I forgave Luke."

His head rose up in confusion. "Is it really that easy for you to forgive something like that?" he questioned.

She thought about that for a moment. It hadn't been easy. And she didn't want to do it at first. "Once I got over my pride, and saw that he was trying to fix his mistake after all these years, then yes."

He shrugged and changed the subject. She suspected he wouldn't be open to talking about forgiveness for a while. She could wait.

"Do you mind if we return?" he asked. "I suppose you've had enough of me for one day."

Kylo turned, walking back to the guards who stood well back from the field. Rey watched him with a tingling curiosity.

While they hadn't uncovered the reason for their Force bond, or why it had formed in the first place, Rey did know this: the moment she toughed his bare hands, she had felt something. She tried to brush it off as just Force energy, but as he strode through the grass, stomping his boots along the way, she couldn't help but think that Poe had been right after all.


	23. Chapter 23: One Last Knight

Though hours had passed, Rey found herself replaying what had happened with Kylo. He had simply gone back to his room, barely saying a word to her afterwards. Needing to get her mind off of it, she decided she was ready to see her new lightsaber.

She approached Luke, who was sitting next to Ackbar yet again.

"Are you alone this time?"

She nodded.

He smiled. "Alright, let's go."

The pair walked in silence until they reached an open space in the convoy. Luke then slipped out something from under his robe.

Rey admired in awe as he handed her the new lightsaber. The hilt was twice as long as Luke's; it was silver and had most of the same detailing, except it had a gold button instead of red. She glanced to Luke for permission.

"Go ahead!" he said with excitement.

Taking a few steps back, Rey held her lightsaber sideways. Pressing the gold button, she felt both sides light up, its power surging through her hand.

"This is amazing. Thank you."

Luke observed her with curiosity and wonder as she played around with the blade. There was something he had come to realize over the past few days. While it was true that her skills had improved during their four months of training, there was more to her than just fighting and stamina. He believed she truly had what it took to defeat Snoke, and bring balance to the Force.

Snapping out of his own thoughts, he responded. "It was the least I could do for you Rey. I never thought I would train another Jedi…" he trailed off, realizing he was ready to tell her.

"I do admit that I have been wrong in the past." He spoke softly. "About a great deal of things."

"Oh?" was all she could say.

"But the one thing I _know_ I'm at fault for is not trusting you. You didn't have to kill Kylo to finish your training, at least I know that now. You only had to face him. And after you did, I realized… I need to let go of my anger. It has misguided me for so long now. So I am willing to give Kylo a chance, if you are."

Rey was at a loss for words. Luke's confession was a complete 180 from the way he had been acting before. Rey didn't know whether it was because she forgave him, or the way she had been interacting with Kylo, but either way, it was a relief.

A relief that confirmed that perhaps she had been right to trust Kylo after all.

"I am." She confessed.

Luke was about to respond when the huge convoy doors opened. The resistance fighters had returned from their mission. Rey and Luke ran to the side, out of the way of incoming X-wings and a passenger ship.

"They are back sooner than expected." Luke remarked, running to Poe's X-wing as soon as it landed.

Rey quickly placed her light saber in her knapsack. Running after, Rey watched as Poe climbed out of his X-wing, BB-8 trailing behind him.

"What happened?" Luke asked. She couldn't tell if he was concerned or not.

"The mission was successful sir— and we didn't come back empty handed." The trio's attention immediately drew to the passenger ship. When its doors opened, Rey watched as Finn and Jess led a prisoner in hand cuffs, who was surrounded by guards. The prisoner was dressed in all black, his outfit reminding her of Kylo's.

She reached for Luke's shoulder. "Who is that?" she asked with a growing concern.

"I have a sinking suspicion." He replied. "Stay behind me, out of sight." He commanded.

Rey did as she was told, and shifted to stand behind Luke and Poe. Finn led the prisoner swiftly past them, nodding his head towards Luke and Poe. He had his blaster out and ready.

And then the prisoner turned his head towards Rey. It was only for a split second, but the two made eye contact. She watched as his serious expression turned into a sinister grin.

The minute he left the convoy, she realized she had been holding her breath. She exhaled, and wondered who the hell this unwelcome guest was.

And she knew just the person to ask.

* * *

Without thinking, Rey had left Luke and Poe behind, running all the way to Kylo's room. Barely out of breath, she pounded on the door.

When he didn't answer, she barged in without a second thought.

"Kylo, I need—!" she stopped.

 _What the…_ he wasn't on his bed. She figured he would have returned to brooding in his room again. She turned to leave when the bathroom door opened.

"Did I just hear the words _need_ come out of your mouth?" he teased.

Rey blushed as the man came out of the bathroom in nothing but a white towel around his waist. His jet black hair dripped water all over the floor, and he combed one hand through his hair to get the excess water out.

"I, um…" She was at a complete loss for words, trying not to gawk at his fit physique.

Kylo leaned against the door frame. "You know, you could knock next time." He suggested.

Annoyed, she rolled her eyes. "I did. Obviously you don't have very good listening skills." She countered.

He raised his eyebrows. "So… what brings you here? You were obviously in a hurry."

Rey had almost forgotten about the prisoner. "Right." She said. She dared to walk a few feet closer to him. "Finn and Poe got back from their mission…"

"They went on a mission?" he interrupted.

"Yes, but that part isn't important. What's important is they _brought someone back_."

Kylo straightened himself, concern growing on his face. "What do you mean?"

She took a deep breath. "I don't know who it was, but Luke didn't want him to see me. He was dressed in all black, had gray shaggy hair… he was taken prisoner." She concluded.

As she described the man, a look of recognition came over Kylo's face. In two strides he towered over Rey, holding his hand in the air for emphasis.

"Are you _sure_ that's who you saw?" he urged, so close that she could almost touch his bare chest.

She nodded.

He turned, rushing to his drawers for his clothes.

"What is it?" she pleaded.

" _They shouldn't have brought him here_." Kylo mumbled under his breath. He strode into the bathroom and slammed the door.

Rey leaned back on to Kylo's bed, trying to understand what had just happened. Who the hell could the prisoner be? She assumed he was First Order, and that Kylo may know who he was… she tried her best to ignore a sudden sinking feeling in her gut.

Besides that… she had almost seen Kylo _naked_. She blushed again at the thought, trying not to let her mind wander there. Yet she couldn't deny that she was inexplicably attracted to him, something she had never felt for _anyone_.

After less than a minute, the door to the bathroom opened. "Take me to him." he asked, brushing past her to open the door.

It took her a few extra strides to keep up with his pace. "I'm not sure where they took him!" she insisted. "We could try the command room."

The moment they walked through the automatic doors, the buzz and excitement all but stopped. Everyone watched as Rey strode in with the former prisoner, the two walking side by side, straight to Leia and Luke. The brother and sister stood waiting at the head of the command table.

"What is he doing here Rey?" Luke asked.

"I think he can help us identify the prisoner!" She offered.

Leia spoke up. "Thank you, but I think we have already done that." She said.

She ushered them to follow her back to where Kylo had been imprisoned only days prior. They walked into the side room, where a one-way mirror was placed on the wall. Rey remembered seeing Kylo in there for the first time— she wondered what it would be like for him to see on this side of things.

Leia pressed a button revealing what lay behind the wall. Kylo inhaled, drifting closer to the mirror and the man behind it.

"We seem to have identified him as a supporter of the First Order." Leia began. "He was armed and dangerous when they found him, but we are not sure what other capabilities he may have."

"How did they catch him?" Luke asked.

"Well, Finn was on the ship at the time, Poe still in the air. Finn said at first he put up a fight, but most of the stormtroopers were killed so he surrendered."

Luke mumbled under his breath. Something seemed off to Rey. She didn't have to voice this though, because Kylo spoke up almost immediately.

He turned to Leia, and it was the first time Rey had seen them interact with one another. "You shouldn't have brought him here." There was a serious undertone to his voice. "I know who this man is."

The General looked her son in the eyes. Rey watched as she reached out for his hand, and then stopped. Rey knew how she wanted to show her affection, but guessed it was hard after their history. "Who is he Ben?"

Kylo swallowed, breaking eye contact at the mention of his name. "His name is Bane; the name was taken after a Sith Lord. Bane Ren, second in command to the Knights of Ren _._ " He turned back to his mother. "He _shouldn't be here_."

It was like a bomb had been dropped. "Luke…" Rey asked worriedly. "I thought you killed all the Knights?"

"I thought so too." He whispered.

Kylo ran his hand through his hair. "Snoke told him to stay behind. I think he knew what was going to happen." He relayed. Suddenly, Rey could feel his anger and frustration bubbling to the surface. He was about to punch the wall when Rey grabbed his hand midair.

"Don't let your anger control you." Rey urged.

Kylo took a deep breath, and put down his fist.

"See? That wasn't so bad." She teased.

"So what do we do with him?" Leia asked, interrupting there moment. "If he can't stay here…"

"…we have to kill him." Kylo stated as a matter-of-factly.

All eyes turned on him.

Rey shook her head. "No. It's one thing when it's self-defense. But this— this is a different situation."

Kylo sighed. "Don't you get it? He _will_ escape. And you won't be able to stop him." he pleaded, running his hands through his hair again. "I can guess the reason he is here. He wanted to be caught, to get to one of the _four people in this room._ "

Rey contemplated what he was implying, realizing it was true. Kylo would eventually be seen as a traitor, Luke and Rey were a threat, and Leia was the leader of the Resistance that Snoke despised. It would make sense to send a confidant to kill them off.

And even after knowing this, Rey still refused to let Kylo think killing this man was an option. She didn't want him to give in to darkness ever again.

Luke seemed to be on the same page too. "We need to discuss this. _Alone_." He pointed to Kylo and Rey.

"Thank you for your help." Leia said, a bit kinder. "We'll let you know when we come to a decision."

* * *

Rey and Kylo left the room as the siblings were left to debate.

"So you know him personally?" Rey asked out of curiosity.

He let out a frustrated sigh. "Unfortunately. I never really liked Bane, and he always despised me for being First-in-Command. I guess you could say he was jealous."

Something still bugged her. "And are you _still_ First-in-Command?"

He hesitated his answer. Finally, he spoke, choosing his words wisely. "The question isn't 'am I still in first command'. The question should be, _do I want to be_?"

Just then, Finn ran up.

Excited to see her friend was okay, she gave him a hug. "Hey, I'm glad you made it back in one piece." She said, punching his shoulder lightly.

"Did you ever doubt me?" he laughed, but then saw Kylo behind her. Kylo had moved a few feet back to give the two friends space, but it still seemed to close for Finn. "What's he doing here?" he whispered.

Without turning, she replied. "He was helping us to identify the prisoner that you brought here. He is _really_ dangerous Finn, I'm not sure it was such a good—."

Finn rolled his eyes. "Don't even _start Rey._ Do you know who is standing behind you?!" he gestured to the man, disregarding the fact he could hear every word. "I'm just trying to help us win this fight. Just remember what side you are on."

Finn left without another word, ambling away from the pair. Jessika was waiting patiently for him by the doors. She took Finn's hand, and gave Rey a small smile.

Not knowing what to do, Rey just stood there in shock. She felt more torn than ever— the choice between her friends, and her own personal mission. Just as she felt anxiety building up within her, she felt a hand lightly squeeze her own.

"He will eventually come around." Kylo assured.

Rey could only hope.

* * *

Later that night at dinner, Rey sat in her usual spot, though Finn wasn't acknowledging her as much as she had hoped. Per usual, Kylo was nowhere to be seen, and she guessed he was still choosing to have his meals in solitude.

After about a half hour, the General got up to speak. The banquet hall became quiet.

"As some of you may know, our mission to free the small mining colony of 05-Taryen from the First Order was successful." She smiled as the crowd erupted in clapping. "A small victory," she added, "but a victory nonetheless. This victory also brought us another guest."

Rey assumed she was about to admit who the prisoner was, but to her surprise, Leia introduced someone else.

"Our guests name is Jason Kyral, and I would like you all to welcome him."

A man with dark brown hair and blue eyes stood up from his seat and waved to the crowd. He had a cocky smile and a blaster on his belt.

"Jason helped us during our mission, and in exchange we welcomed him to join our ranks." She concluded.

After everyone went back to eating, Rey speculated about the new recruit. "Did you guys speak with him?" she asked Poe and the other pilots.

"I was the one who found him actually. Saved me from a First Order blaster." Poe said in between bites.

Finn finally turned to Rey. "After we took back control, I asked if he would join us. Figured he deserved a chance to fight for what he believed in." he added.

She nodded, understanding that point of view coming from the ex-Stormtrooper.

Rey glanced around the hall, hoping she could speak with Luke about Bane. But he wasn't anywhere to be found. She resolved he would come to her when it was decided, threw away her food, and went back to her room.

* * *

That night Rey enjoyed the cool breeze outside the convoy doors. It had been a long day for everyone. She needed the night sky to allow herself to unwind. The stars shone bright, and the planet's moon was almost full.

She wanted a few moments where she didn't have to think about 'what next'. Or worry about what her friends thought of her choices, or the Prophecy she had to fulfill. She found the need to get away from the humming of the base.

Rey stretched, and her thoughts led her back to cold nights on Jakku. When she would be far in the mountains scavenging, left stranded after sunset and forced to find shelter. She remembered how she would shake through the night and miss the seclusion of her AT-AT. All her things had probably been ransacked by now by another scavenger. She wondered where her stuffed bunny was now.

She had come so far these past few months, she realized. _I might never have to be alone again._ That thought gave her peace.

All of a sudden, Rey heard a scuff on the ground. She swung around, lightsaber ready.

The figure put his hands up. "Just me!" he said.

Rey put her light saber down as Kylo walked out of the shadows.

"You know, you could have warned me!"

"And ruin the surprise?" he remarked playfully. He took a seat on the ground next to her.

Rey did the same; she had become more comfortable around him as time passed.

"So what brings you out here so late?" he asked, making small talk.

"Oh, you know, just thinking." She said. He raised his brows as if asking her for than just a partial answer.

She sighed, knowing he would keep asking until she told the truth. "I was thinking… I was thinking of how I never have to go back to Jakku. I didn't realize— or maybe I just didn't want to accept it but— I was lonely."

Kylo listened to her attentively even as she paused.

"I've never really had anyone stick around. My entire existence has been _survival,_ and the only person I could trust was me. I never want to go back to that life." She stared ahead, eyes tearing up. "I don't want to be alone again."

The moment she said it, she began to sob. She knew this was her greatest fear; Rey couldn't help but think the past few months had been a dream, a dream she never wanted to wake up from.

She felt Kylo's arm wrapping around her shoulder, pulling her closer. Falling into his tall frame, she rested her wet face on his chest. He placed his other hand in her hair, combing his fingers through it. She found her sobs slowly subsiding.

They stayed in that position for a long time, neither one speaking. They didn't need to.

After a long time, Rey shifted.

"Are you ready to go back?" he whispered into her ear. She nodded yes.

Taking both of her hands in his, Kylo helped Rey to her feet. Once they were upright, they stood hand in hand for a few moments, Rey looking up into Kylo's dark eyes, his healed scar lining his face. For some reason it seemed more noticeable in this moment than any.

To her surprise, he kissed her on the forehead, and let go of her hands. She watched as he walked back towards the base. He was no longer brooding or pounding his feet. Instead his walk was soft and swayed.

Rey suddenly remembered her question from earlier. As if he had heard her exact thoughts, Kylo turned around as he opened the door.

"And to answer your question from earlier— no, I don't want to be First-in-Command anymore." He admitted it as though he had just realized it himself.

And just like that, Rey realized there was only one last Knight to take care of.


	24. Chapter 24: Mission Felucia

The two lightsabers collided in a gold and green flash.

"Okay, now push your left foot back slightly. There you go!"

Luke and Rey had been training all afternoon. Rey needed to get a feel for her new double sided lightsaber; it had come easier than expected though, like riding a bike.

Both opponents withdrew their swords, falling a few feet back in the ring. Rey tracked Luke carefully, eyeing his every move. When it looked as if he was about to strike, she advanced, throwing her saber up above her head. But instead of striking her from above, her teacher struck her from the side.

The saber singed the side of her stomach and she put her hand up.

"The real thing will feel much worse." Luke assured. During their training practices, their sabers had a training setting. Which was fortunate for Rey; the amount of times Luke had beat her numbered more than she could count on her fingers.

"When you are deciding on a defense, don't just _watch_ your opponent. _Sense_ their next move. Allow your lightsaber to guide your movements." He advised.

She nodded, wiping the sweat off her brow. "I feel comfortable with this blade." She mentioned, admiring the gold hum coming from her newly created saber. It felt new and clean; it had yet to see battle.

"Good. Use it to your advantage."

They practiced a few more stances when finally Rey heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Mind if I join?" Finn asked. The ex-storm trooper crossed his arms and had a sly look on his face.

She closed her lightsaber and ambled towards her friend. "Is that a challenge I hear?" she teased. Things were about to get real.

"You said it, not me." He put his hands up. "But this day has been coming for a long time!"

Luke chuckled at that.

"Come on, lover boy." She motioned him onto the mat.

"Lover boy?" he baffled, and then shrugged knowing how accurate that statement was. Taking of his jacket, he put his hands up. "I need a weapon…"

Without a moment of hesitation, Rey motioned her left hand towards her satchel, which lay a few feet away. Luke's blue lightsaber flew swiftly into her outstretched hand.

"I think you're familiar with this." She smirked, and tossed the lightsaber to her friend. The look on his face was priceless. "Don't worry." she reassured him. "I'll make it a fair fight."

The two friends laughed at their banter, and then got serious, withdrawing their lightsabers.

"You seem like you've held a lightsaber before." Luke commented.

"It's because I've used this before." Finn said. His mistake was his glance sideways to Luke. Rey used his distraction to go for him.

Their swords collided, Finn barely in position. He hit back, slashing sideways back and forth. Rey noticed how he had to use more energy to block both sides of her saber, so she used it to her advantage.

The minute she saw him slowing down, she ducked under a sideways hit, kicking him to the ground.

"My money's on Rey!" Jessika said from the sidelines. Finn and Rey paused their fighting, realizing they had an audience.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Jess!" Finn called back.

As she helped him to his feet, she scanned the newcomers. Jess and Poe stood side by side, with a few Resistance personnel she didn't know. Closest to Luke was the newcomer, Jason. Their eyes met, and he gazed at her curiously.

Rey broke eye contact, not sure whether she should feel uncomfortable or flattered.

"Ready for round two?" Finn challenged.

Rey flipped her lightsaber, catching it midair. Gold plasma sparked from each end. She heard Poe from the side. "Now _that_ is a lightsaber." She couldn't agree more; the design was badass.

The two opponents circled each other, the crowd now cheering them on. Finn lunged, but Rey was quicker on her feet, sidestepping the blade. She met one side of her blade with his, and their sabers collided in successions.

When neither had gained a stronger ground, Rey did something unexpected. She placed both hands on the hilt of her saber and twisted it.

Finn watched in awe as her single lightsaber became two. "Well, damn." he blurted. Just in time, Finn lifted the repetitive hits from both sabers. He felt himself falling backwards, until finally, he was out of bounds.

"Like I said." Jess teased, giving him a hug from behind.

Finn couldn't help but smile at her jaunts. It was her own way of flirting with him.

Needing some time to rest, Rey shook hands with Finn and took a seat at the other end of the mat. She took a swig of water from a canister as Leia ran up to the group.

"Luke, I need you for a moment. It's important." She kept her voice calm, but her eyes told another story. Rey knew something was up.

Luke nodded in Rey's direction. "Good work today." He praised. "I'll return shortly."

"Okay." She smiled.

After they had left, she wondered if they had come to a decision about Bane yet. She had tried to bring it up to Luke this morning, but he had changed the subject. Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard boot steps behind her.

"You seem like you know how to handle yourself."

Rey turned to see who the deep voice belonged too. She was surprised to see the newcomer, Jason. Closer to her view now, she noticed he had cleaned himself up a bit since he had arrived. His hair was a bit shorter, and styled, and he donned a navy blue Resistance vest.

"Always have, and always will." She quickly responded.

He gestured to where she sat. "May I?" he asked.

"Be my guest."

Rey took another swig of water as he sat down next to her, hand swung lazily over his upright knee. _He's cocky, alright_ she thought, confirming her suspicions of when she first saw him.

"I overheard Leia and a few other Admiral's discussing something." He mentioned, holding his finger up to his lips.

Rey would have rolled her eyes if she hadn't been so interested in what he knew. "What do you mean?" she asked, curious.

He played it cool. "You sure you want to know?"

She sighed, and waited for him to continue.

"Alright, fine." He teased. "They intercepted a First Order transmission. They might know where Snoke is."

"What?!" Her eyes grew wide, and she shot up from her seat. If they knew where Snoke was, then Rey, and Kylo Ren, would have to face him sooner than expected. She didn't know whether she should be excited to get this over with, or terrified that they might not be ready.

Just then, Luke marched towards Rey, a sense of determination. Turning to say thanks to Jason for the heads up, she was surprised to see that he had disappeared.

 _Where the hell did he go?_

"Rey…" Luke said, snapping her out of it. "There is something we have to show you. All of you." He motioned his hand to Poe and Finn as well. The three companions followed the Jedi without another word, knowing something important was about to go down.

* * *

Walking into the command room, several people had already gathered around the main table. To her surprise, Kylo Ren had been summoned to the meeting as well. As soon as they approached the table, Leia began without hesitation.

"As a few of you may know, we have had a task team working nonstop to intercept First Order signals. About an hour ago, we were finally successful."

It was as if everyone was holding their breath for the next sentence, because nobody moved.

She continued, excitement growing in her voice. "The signal was intercepted from a planet, and we believe…" Rey observed as the General glanced to Kylo, trying to read his reaction. "…we believe this is Snoke's next location."

The General pulled up a hologram of a jungle planet.

"The planet's name is Felucia." Luke reported. "It's located on the outer rim; there used to be a base for the Galactic Empire on the south side of the planet, although that is all gone now."

"And you think Snoke might be hiding here?" Rey asked. She glanced at Kylo, who masked his feelings of discomfort with a poker face. Instead, he focused his attention on the hologram.

"It is possible that he has been transported there. There have been rumors that he will be there for only two days next week." Luke admitted. "And if he is, it's important that we plan this carefully."

"So what is the plan?" Poe asked fervently.

"We have Bane, which gives us the upper hand. And I presume we have Kylo on our side now." Kylo and Luke made eye contact, and Kylo nodded his head in confirmation. "We need to strike now while we have the advantage." He pounded his fist on the table for affect.

"So we won't kill Bane?" Rey asked, already knowing the answer.

Leia shook her head. "He is an important asset in this mission. We have no idea if Snoke has realized one of his own has turned on him. So we need Bane may be our only hope of getting close to Snoke."

Kylo shook his head, still not convinced. "I still think this is a trap. Bane is strong with the Force. Why would he let himself get caught like that?"

"I agree." Luke said. "But like Leia said— this might be our only chance. And we have to take it. We need to create a special task team, but Rey and I need to finish the mission alone. I won't walk anyone else into danger."

Rey and Kylo eyes met through the hologram. She could sense they were thinking the same thing that Luke was— the Prophecy. That she was the Chosen One; Luke thought Rey was the one who needed to do the deed and kill Snoke. And maybe that was the case. But Rey knew in her gut they couldn't do it alone.

Kylo cleared his throat. "You are going to need me." He stated. Out of everyone in the room, he chose to address Rey. "I have the most experience with Snoke, and I know how he fights."

Admiral Statura cleared his throat. "I'm not sure that is such a good idea. You are still considered an enemy to the Republic and a war criminal. I'm not sure you are cleared for missions."

Leia jumped in. "Admiral, is that quite necessary to bring up at this time?"

"All due respect, General, but it is. Would you like me to read the number of charges he faces?"

She went quite, knowing it was true. Rey saw the inner turmoil in Kylo's expression. He curled his fist, willing himself not to say anything. She wanted to be there for him, like he had for her the night before.

Luke jumped in. "Perhaps this kind of mission is exactly what we need, Admiral. He needs to prove that he has forsaken the First Order, like Finn had previously." he motioned to the ex-stormtrooper. "And, I've become somewhat convinced that their may be hope for him after all." he added, giving Rey a small smile. "Help us, and _maybe_ I'll train you." He finally addressed Kylo.

Kylo scoffed. "Train me? Is that a joke?"

Leia glared at him.

"You need to be retrained as a Jedi, since you never finished." The Jedi master said matter-of-factly. Rey actually agreed with this.

Kylo mumbled something under his breath. Rey couldn't help but giggle at the strife between the two. It was as if Kylo was a young boy again who didn't want to listen to his uncle.

"That's enough banter between you two." Leia piped. "We have one week to prepare for our next mission. And I need everyone's focus on the task at hand. We need to make sure Bane doesn't escape in that time."

Soon, the group got to work on their plan of what Leia liked to call "Mission Felucia".

* * *

A while later, Leia dismissed them. Poe and Finn left together to go do some target practice. Luke stayed with Leia, saying they would put together the task force. That left Kylo and Rey alone.

"So do you think this will work?" she asked as they walked back to their quarters.

He took a deep breath. "I don't know… like Luke said, I'm not sure if Snoke knows what happened to me. Back on Ach-to, I wanted to get off the island fast because I knew he would send First Order ships when I didn't return."

"Why would you even want to get off the island then?" she said in a whisper, realizing she had never thought to ask. It honestly surprised her that he wouldn't have at least tried to escape.

Suddenly, he swept his hand under her back, pulling them out of the walkway. It took him a moment, but he finally spit out what he was thinking. "It was a split decision really. At that point, I knew how powerful Luke was, and I didn't like the odds against the two of you. As much as I hate to admit that." He added.

Rey smirked playfully, knowing full well Luke and her combined would have been no match for Kylo.

"But the split decision wasn't wanting to escape, it was wanting to _learn_ more about you. The prophecy was a surprise to us all."

It finally made sense why he had never tried to escape. Although he didn't say it, she knew it was because Kylo has begun to realize how important Rey was in the grand scheme of things. Even if she hadn't believed it herself. And if Rey was willing to give him a chance, than he was willing to take a risk.

"I _know_ he sent ships to Ach-to. I can sense it. But there are only seven bodies there, so _he knows I'm alive_." He reasoned.

"The he will just think you are a prisoner, like Bane, right?" Rey asked, but even she didn't sound so sure.

His expression mirrored her feelings. His eyebrows furrowed, and he ran his hand through his hair. "Let's hope so, scavenger girl. Or we are walking straight into a trap."

For some reason, when Kylo said _we_ , she realized just how far their companionship had come in the past few weeks. Their amity had begun to show itself in conversation, something she never thought was possible. These thoughts looped back around their force bond; how at some point, Rey had to acknowledge that she had felt _something_ for the man. Was it a longing for friendship, or a longing for something more? She dared not to contemplate further than that, especially in his company; at least until she was ready to admit this to him.

Kylo gave Rey a strange look. "I should go." He said abruptly, briskly walking off without another glance.

He was gone before Rey could protest.

* * *

Kylo cursed himself for leaving Rey like that. It had been an automatic response; he wasn't used to feeling so many emotions, namely hers. He realized the Force bond had opened up old wounds, some he had buried so deep he had barely remembered they were there.

Not only had their bond opened up old wounds, but he felt different now every time he was around Rey. He wasn't sure when it started, but he had become aware of it just now.

Deep in thought, Kylo found himself back inside the command center. Leia was now alone, pouring over a navigational chart in the back corner of the command center. When he saw her, he knew what he wanted to do. As he sauntered over, he saw his mother's expression change from intense focus to surprise.

"Hi." He muttered awkwardly.

The surprised look on her face slowly turned into a smile. "Well… it's about time." She replied. "What can I help you with?"

Trying not to act surprised himself, he replied nonchalantly. "Why would you think I needed help?"

She raised her eyebrow. "Because you're my _son._ And why would it have taken you this long to come up to me?"

Kylo could name quite a few reasons why he hadn't spoken to his mother one-on-one yet, but he wasn't about to list them. In this case, she was correct.

He sighed. "I was wondering…is there a library on the base? Or at least a records system?"

She thought for a minute. "There is no library, but we do have an extensive database. Do you want to take a look?"

He nodded his head yes.

She led him to a corner of the command center hidden from most line of sight. Pressing a button, its metal door activated, showcasing a small room with huge amounts of tech. a few small tables sat in a row, and databases lined all four corners. Kylo couldn't help but feel amazed.

"I hope you understand that I have to stay with you at all times in here." She explained. "For… security purposes." She finished awkwardly.

"I do understand." He agreed. He walked to the opposite end, gendering at the large collection.

"So why a sudden interest?" she inquired.

Kylo knew she would ask. And he supposed he had no choice but to tell her. The next week's mission on his mind, he feared the worst. So he knew they needed every advantage over Snoke. And perhaps if he actively helped, he could ignore all his feelings of doubt.

Doubt over his actions the past few weeks. Doubt over what side he was really on. He had felt the pull to the light side ever since being reunited with Rey again, yet his thoughts always went back to Snoke. To power.

He snapped out of his own thoughts, bringing himself back to the present.

"I want to find out why Rey and I have… have a Force bond. And perhaps we can use it to help destroy Snoke."

Leia looked down to her fidgeting hands. "You know… it's taken me a while since you arrived to really figure you out. Why, after all this time, you gave in so easily."

The mother moved towards her son, taking each step with care. She looked into her son's eyes, the eyes of his father. And as she brought her hand up to his cheek, he never flinched.

For the first time in years, Kylo felt comfort from his mother's touch. He suddenly wanted to take back his actions; ones that had brought his father's life to a screeching halt. For his mother's sake.

"You gave in so easily because of your compassion."

Almost instantly, he began to shake his head. "No, that's not—."

She chuckled at his refusal to acknowledge the truth. "You may not see it, but a mother always knows." She put her hand down and reached for an archive disk. "Now, let's see what we can find, shall we."

Grateful she had changed the subject, the two sat down with the first disk. Kylo knew they had hours of research ahead of them. He thought about what Leia had said.

 _How is that even possible?_ Through his training with Snoke, he had been taught to discard any emotion that would make him weak. And that had included compassion; he had always seen compassion as making him weaker.

He pushed these thoughts away to focus on the task at hand. The two dug through archives for hours, until finally, Kylo found something of great significance.

He showed Leia, her eyes growing wide. "Go, show this to Rey." She said urgently. He nodded, feeling hopeful that maybe their plan would be successful after all.


	25. Chapter 25: Moondust

Fair Warning: * This chapter contains fair amounts of smut *

** Like always, please review! **

Kylo eventually found Rey outside, in the same spot as the night before. The archive hidden beneath his shoulder, he approached Rey, who sat meditating. He smiled to himself when he noticed stones floated midair around her.

"Seems like I always find you in this spot." He observed.

Without opening her eyes, she responded. "What can I say? I like it here." She mused.

"Hmm." He found her amusing.

The stones fell slowly, hitting the grass one by one. Rey opened her eyes, squinting towards the bright sun. "What brings you here? Wanted to explain why you were rude earlier?"

It took him a second, but he realized she was talking about earlier.

"I… I thought of doing this." He stuttered, reaching for archive.

"What is this?"

"I've been reading all afternoon. With Leia." He confessed.

Her eyes widened.

He rolled his eyes. "I _know_. Must be surprising to you."

"No, it's just… what did you end up finding?"

Glad she hadn't thought too much about it, he continued. "What I meant to say was that I wanted to have a better understanding of our Force bond. And then after searching for hours, I found _this_." He opened the archive folder, a few papers falling out. He handed them to Rey, who proceeded to read the texts. After a few moments, her eyes grew big, and she looked up to him excitedly.

"What does this mean exactly?"

"I think our Force bond is stronger than we think." Kylo relayed. "A Force bond can be used during both meditation, like we have done… and battle. Each person can use the other to strengthen their own weakness. For instance, if I was stronger than you, you could draw energy from my strength."

"So it's not just our thoughts and emotions?"

He shook his head. "No, it's _so much more than that_. We can use each other's Force energy. We could be unstoppable. And these archives document how we can do it." The thought of this power saturated his thoughts.

Her expression changed.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

She looked back to the papers. "You have to _promise me_ that we will only use this power to destroy Snoke. He is our ultimate goal." Rey insisted, pleading in her voice. "Not for our own gain."

Kylo sighed; she always seemed to put his thoughts into check. He knew she was right. But it was still difficult for him to not think about gaining power.

"Alright." He finally agreed. "I trust you on this."

He could tell she felt surprised, yet relieved, that he had agreed so readily. She sprung up, ready to get started, saying they had no time to waste.

The pair had one week. One week to learn how to use their Force bond. One week until Kylo and Rey would face Snoke, hopefully once and for all.

Even after knowing this, Kylo couldn't help but feel like their fight wasn't over yet. Not by a long shot.

* * *

 _One week later_

That night, Rey found herself tossing and turning. She didn't know if it was because of her anxiety for the next day's mission, or just restlessness. Either way, she wasn't sleeping tonight.

She walked silently through the convoy. The last few mechanics, who had been touching up on ships and engines, had finally retired. The large doors were bolted shut, so she opted for a side door.

The night was warm, for which she was grateful; the moon shone bright, lighting up the runway. Stars and far away planets scattered the skies. For a moment, her anxieties for the upcoming mission seemed to drift away.

Someone moved to the far end of the runway by the Millenium Falcon. Rey watched as the ramp to the ship opened, and the tall figure stepped inside. She followed on instinct, with really nothing else better to do.

As she boarded the ship, there wasn't a sound on board. The silence was deafening to her; she had grown accustomed to the hums and buzzes of the moving ship. Eventually, she came to the cockpit, finally discovering who had boarded the ship.

Kylo Ren sat in Han's old seat. He was silent as he moved his hands over notches and buttons, reminiscing the years he had spent on this ship. Not wanting to startle him, she knocked on the wall as she entered.

"Hey." She said quietly.

He turned his head towards her, then back to the controls. "It's been years since I've been alone on this ship." He said, barely paying attention to her. "There are so many memories… most I want to forget."

"Why would you want to forget? Our experiences make us who we are. They shape us into the person we become." She advised.

"Exactly." He sighed. "There are so many paths we can travel down. If only things had been different…" his words trailed off.

Rey felt maybe tonight was her chance to know the real Kylo- the man, hiding behind the mask and the name. They had been so busy, day after day, practicing and concentrating on combining their Force bonds that they hadn't found time to talk about anything else. So she knew it was finally time to talk about the elephant in the room.

"Kylo… I haven't asked you about this, and for good reason. But I wanted to talk about it now."

His expression didn't change, but she could sense he knew what was coming.

She pleaded, hoping he could answer truthfully. "Kylo, why did you kill Han?"

Kylo stopped playing with the controls, his gaze falling out to the dark runway before them. She knew he was avoiding eye contact with her. Placing his gloved hand on his forehead as if he had a headache, he let out a long sigh.

"I know you don't want to talk about it, but I _have to know_." She emphasized, a hint of leftover anger leaking through. She needed to put her anger to rest.

Finally, he spoke. He shook his head back and forth. "I was vengeful. I had always wanted him to accept me for who I was, but by the time he did, it was too late. I thought… I thought by _killing_ my father, it would complete my training, allowing me to embrace the dark side fully."

Rey's heart broke a little. "And did you?"

"At first. When I was taken back to Snoke to complete training, I was fully consumed by the dark side. Yet I dreamed about what I had done, night after night. The guilt haunted me, until I buried my feelings. But then I began to dream about you."

Oddly enough, Rey felt relief that Kylo could admit his guilt. It was another step in the right direction for him. It would still take her time to forgive him for Han. But what he admitted also shocked her. "What do you mean you dreamed about me? Well, other than the one dream you told me about…"

He raised his eyebrows. "I think you know it was a two way connection for the few months we were apart, Rey. For months, I saw visions of you, a dream that was always the same. I can feel your emotions, hear your thoughts. I still don't know why, but somehow, I think it was always meant to happen. The light has found its way back, and I'm not sure what to do."

" _Then let it in_." she urged. It's what she had wanted him to do all along.

He shifted in his seat to face her, and her pulse began to rise. "This past week, I've felt the Force bond at its full strength." He whispered, edging closer to her seat. "And it's grown immensely stronger the longer I'm near you. I know you've felt it too."

Kylo did something he had never done before. He began to caress her cheek— not in a taunting way, but affectionately.

She didn't flinch, didn't move, something she had done earlier. Rey had felt his touch before, but this time, it felt… different. Like they were the only two on the whole planet. Like time had slowed down to a standstill, and they were in the center.

The moon shone brightly through the cockpit windows as Kylo kissed her. First, it was a slow kiss, his thumb moving down her jaw. He paused for a moment, making sure she was okay with it. Caught up in the moment, Rey pressed her lips hard onto his. Kylo took this as his cue; he opened his mouth to let her in. He threw off his gloves and cupped her face with his bare hands. The feeling of lightning struck her skin and she embraced it fully.

Rey forgot everything: their history together, good and bad. She didn't want to think about her conflicting feelings, only the here and now. There was heat and power radiating from him, and she couldn't get enough of it.

Their bodies shifted closer, the sides of their legs now touching. Without thinking, she swung her left leg over his right, letting herself hover over his seated position. He kissed her passionately; his desire took over him, and he abandoned all thought.

Kylo brushed his large hands up her legs until they reached her hips. Kissing her deeper, he shoved her hips closer to his torso, yearning to feel her warmth. She gasped, feeling pleasure swim through her being. Closing any space between them, she wrapped her legs around his back.

They stopped kissing for a moment, resting on each other's foreheads. Eyes shut and out of breath, they savored the moment. Rey reached for him, her hands delicately running through every dark hair on his head.

"Hmmmm…" he murmured, soothed by her touch. After a moment, he opened his eyes. "What if we moved this somewhere more _comfortable_?" Kylo proceeding to bite his lip was enough to make her say yes.

She kissed his forehead and then looked deeply into his dark eyes. " _I'd like that._ " Her pulse quickened.

After a few moments, he put her on her feet. She felt safe as his hand wound itself around her own. The pair turned a few corridors, Kylo guiding her the whole way.

Kylo pressed a button in a more private section of the ship, and a large cot fell out. She paused for a moment. "How did you know…?"

"I used to basically live here you know." He teased.

"Right."

"Are you sure you want to?" he paused. For a moment, she did too. There was no going back from this point. Her heart said one thing; her head told another story. So she ignored them both.

Absentmindedly, her free hand reached up towards his face, tracing his scar. "No more talking, okay?" she whispered.

He nodded. "Okay, scavenger girl." He let go of the hand he had been holding. Rey stopped tracing his face as he gently began pushing her body on to the mattress, holding her gaze the entire time. When she rested her head on the soft pillow, his gaze fell down her frame, his hand going with it.

His hand stopped on her hip yet again, his fingers lightly brushing the top of her pants. He teased her lips, and then moved his mouth down her neck.

 _More_. She thought, projecting her emotions into Kylo's thoughts.

Almost instantly, his hand sensually fell below her abdomen, sliding its way under her bottoms. An irrepressible feeling of euphoria swept over her; her mouthed opened, gasping for air as he massaged his finger deep inside her.

She arched her back and let out a long, deep moan. Rey grabbed at his shirt, attempting to take it off. Kylo took a break, and in one swift motion threw off his top.

His chest was ripped, and his body towered over her. Grinning seductively, Rey sat up on her knees, wiggling off her shirt.

Both chests now bear, Kylo stared at Rey's body in awe. He was aroused by her perfect physique and overwhelmed with desire. He had been staring for longer than he had hoped, when Rey asked him what was wrong.

"Nothing." He truly meant it. "Nothing at all."

* * *

Sometime later, with their bare legs entwined in the sheets, Rey snuggled closely next to Kylo. His chest was warm against Rey's face; it beat steadily, Kylo now fast asleep. That was fine with her. He seemed more at peace when he slept. She parted one of his curls that covered his eyes, and turned over. Unconsciously, he moved his arm around her waist to draw her closer.

Now that their passionate episode had subsided, Rey knew their Force bond had grown immensely stronger. But it wasn't just the Force bond that had grown.

She yawned, too tired to think. Bits of moonlight were breaking through the hallway. Particles of dust drifted through the air, too many to count. Rey finally fell into deep slumber knowing that it wasn't Kylo she had fallen for: it was Ben.

* * *

Kylo woke up just before sunrise. And for the first time in a long time, he didn't want to get out of bed. But he knew that if he didn't want to cause a scene, he had to get to his room on base. Being seen with Rey in the early morning hours wouldn't bode well with Luke— or anyone— for that matter.

As careful as he could manage, he slipped his arm out from Rey's side. She shifted, but stayed asleep. He rolled off the bed and put his shirt and pants back on.

He stared at the women asleep before him, savoring the moment. He tried reading her thoughts, to see if she was dreaming, but she seemed to be in the stage between being asleep and waking up. He placed the blanket up farther so it covered her chest. Then as quietly as he could, he slipped out of the Falcon.

* * *

Rey woke up to the sound of clanging and a frustrated Wookie. She groaned, cursing Chewie for being up this early, and then panicked.

She felt the spot next to her for Kylo, but it was empty. _Smart move._ She mused. It would have been awkward for Chewbacca to walk in on them…

Getting dressed quickly, she followed the source of the clanging. It was coming from outside; Chewie was dropping tools everywhere while trying to balance on his ladder.

"Here, let me help!" Rey offered, running over to the Wookie. He muttered a thanks as she handed him the tools he needed to repair the outside of the ship.

"Why are you up so early?" she asked.

He responded with his own question instead of answering. "I couldn't sleep." She responded. "The Falcon helped."

He said something along the lines of "I'm sure" and then went back to work.

 _He really does know when I'm lying…_

Her stomach began growling. "Tell you what Chewie, I'm going to get some breakfast before we head out! See you inside?" he nodded and she ran off.

By the time she had changed and washed off, the breakfast line was at least twenty people long. She saw Poe at the end and decided to wait with him.

"Oh hey, Rey." He gave her the usual grin. "You ready for today's mission?"

"Oh…"

"What is it?" he suddenly looked concerned.

"Nothing!" she said quickly. "I just… forgot. For a moment. Must be tired." She tried to laugh it off, but she had been deep in thought. Thinking about the night before…

Suddenly the room went quiet as a man stepped into the hall. "Well I'll be damned…" Poe scoffed.

Kylo Ren usually ate in solitary. Rey guessed it was because everyone felt uncomfortable around him. Even with his change of clothes— his brown pants and black vest she had seen him in before— he probably still felt like a threat to some people. Only she knew why he chose today to finally be more social, although she hadn't expected it.

He headed straight for the back of the line where Rey and Poe stood. Rey winced as the two looked each other up and down, sizing each other up. Poe cleared his throat.

"Long time, no talk?" Poe said, and then didn't say another word.

Kylo nodded. "Sorry about…that."

Poe looked as surprised as Rey felt. Did Kylo Ren just say the words _sorry_?

Finally Rey broke the tension. "So… waffles anyone?"

* * *

As soon as they were out of the breakfast line, and Poe was out of earshot, Kylo took his chance.

"I don't think I gave you a proper 'hello' this morning." He teased.

"It's quite alright, I can forgive you this time." She teased back.

His eyes grew wide. " _This_ time?" he laughed. "Well, I didn't know I was—."

Realizing what she had just implied, she smacked his arm. "You _know_ what I mean." She played it off, but blushed anyways.

They had made it to the far end table where Rey typically sat, only this time, Leia and Luke had pulled up chairs. Acting normal, Rey plopped down next to her best friend and ushered Kylo to follow.

He seemed hesitant though. "Do you guys mind if I?" he asked, not asking anyone in particular.

Leia was the first to speak up. "Good of you to join us." She pointed to the empty seat next to Rey. Rey doubted Finn thought the same.

He gave a small thanks and sat down.

Jessika cleared her throat just as Rey shoved food into her mouth. "So where were you this morning, Rey? I didn't see you all night."

Next to her Kylo almost choked on his food.

Poe chimed in. "I was wondering the same thing." He said in between bites of food. "I came by to ask you to go for another training run, you should have waited for me."

Rey felt like everyone's attention was on her, and she wanted to make a run for it. She knew she was terrible at lying. "I couldn't sleep." She answered. "I… uh, sat in the Falcon for a bit." At least it was a half-truth.

Suddenly, Jess changed her tone. "Oh, that's right! I remember you mentioning that." Rey wondered why her roommate was suddenly covering for her, but she was grateful nonetheless.

She changed the subject. "So when do we meet our team?" She asked Leia.

"Right after breakfast." She replied.

 _It's actually real._ She thought. The moment had come, after all these months. She didn't know if she would ever be ready for it.

She began to nervously play with her hands in her lap, her anxiety for the day ahead bubbling to the surface. As if on cue, Kylo nonchalantly placed one of his hands in hers, and lightly squeezed. And in that moment she knew, whether she was ready for it or not, at least she had Kylo by her side.


	26. Chapter 26:The Organa Special Task Force

They had just finished breakfast when Leia pulled Rey and Kylo off to the side. "Rey, Kylo… this is your team." Leia motioned towards the line of fighters. Most of them, Rey already knew. "Poe will be the Commander for this mission. He has considerable experience in this role and I trust all of you will listen to his orders." She glanced at Kylo especially.

"Poe, Finn and Jason will join you three on the ground." She addressed Luke, Rey and Kylo. "Poe, because he is the Commander; Finn, because of his specialization in Storm Trooper battle techniques; and Jason because of his tracking skills and experience with explosions."

"Experience with explosions?" Rey interjected. "I didn't realize we would need someone for that." Rey was glad Finn was coming, but she wasn't sure about Jason. There was something… off about him. But she couldn't put her finger on it.

Jason spoke up. "Back in the mining colony, I was an explosion and tech specialist. You'd be surprised; you can never be too careful. Plus, I'm quite good with a blaster." He added.

The General continued. "Jessika and Iolo will be flying in Incom Z-95 Headhunters, which are less suspect then X-wings. That leaves the rest of you in an unmarked passenger ship. When you arrive to the planet, we have given each ship specific coordinates where you can safely touchdown, and Jessika and Iolo will stay behind to watch over the ships."

"I'll do it, but I'm not a fan of staying behind." Jessika complained. She noticed as the female pilot glanced in Finn's direction; Rey could guess why she didn't like being left behind.

Poe cut in. "We all have our roles." He reminded her. "Plus, we need our medical specialist alive in case anyone is injured." Poe gestured to Iolo, who nodded his head in agreement.

"Couldn't agree more Poe." Iolo said to Jessika's chagrin. "I'm better in the cockpit anyways."

"Where did you guys end up finding Headhunters? I thought all of them had to of been destroyed by now." Finn wondered. He had a good point.

Just then, another man walked up. He had black hair, brown eyes and dark skin. His walk held a hint of elegance and swagger, as if he thought highly of himself. "Well, that would be me. Took me a while, but as an ex-smuggler, I was always pretty good at the business."

"Oh, _hell_." Kylo muttered under his breath.

Leia grinned, and Luke embraced the man with a hand shake and a hug.

"Good to see you, old friend!" Luke cried.

"Same to you. Looks like your sister finally found you." The man teased.

Luke rolled his eyes. "Well she had a lot of help." He gestured towards Finn and Rey.

"And you are…?" Finn asked, just as confused as she was. Rey had never seen this man on the base before.

"Lando Calrissian!" he said proudly, shaking Finn's hand, and then Rey's. "Ex-smuggler, merchant, and Leader of Cloud City. Well," he shrugged, "I _was._ I've known Leia and Luke for oh, _thirty_ years I want to say? Known Han even longer than that…"

Rey instantly felt Kylo's discomfort. She could tell he wanted to walk away, to isolate himself again. But she wasn't about to let him. Just as Kylo took a step back to excuse himself, she grabbed his shoulder.

"And _you_." Lando admired Rey from afar. "You're as beautiful as Leia was when I first met her. You sure you two aren't related?"

Rey certainly hoped not. Finn snorted beside her, and she punched him in the shoulder. He mouthed the word 'ow' as Rey grinned in satisfaction.

"Alright that's enough flirting for one day." Leia chuckled. "I need you all to change into your proper attire and meet me back here in thirty minutes."

The group disintegrated within seconds, every player knowing their role. Leia walked away arm in arm with Lando, two old friends catching up lost time. Rey turned to see Kylo had disappeared.

"I'm glad we finally have a mission together." Finn said, still standing beside her. She had barely felt his presence. "Rey… I'm sorry for accusing you before. About what side you were on. I just want you to know, I'll always have your back. Just like old times, huh?"

She smiled at that, despite her nerves for the day. "Just like old times."

* * *

When Rey made it to her room, Jess was already there, suiting up into her pilot gear.

"Rey! Just the person I wanted to speak with!" she declared, and shut their door faster than the speed of light. "Soooooo…." Jess waited for Rey to start.

Confused and bewildered, Rey stood there stupidly, not knowing what Jess wanted her to say. "Is this about the mission? Or is it about Finn? Cause him and I are just—."

Jess shook her head repeatedly. "No, it's not about that! _Where were you last night?_ "

Rey's heart dropped, wishing Jess had just let it go. So she told the same story she had told everyone at breakfast. "I went to the Falcon because I couldn't sleep. I guess I drifted off—."

Her friend smiled slyly. "I guess I asked the wrong question. Who were you _with_?"

Rey's hands became clammy, knowing that she had been caught. How Jess could be so perceptive, she had no clue. But she still wasn't about to admit what had happened. Nor would she think Kylo would have approved.

"I was alone, Jessika." Rey tried to convince her, but knew how terrible of a liar she could be. Instead of letting her friend get more out of her, she turned towards her drawers. Pulling out her old clothes she had worn on Ach-To, she began to get undressed. She found herself to be at her best when she was in the old fabrics. She had gotten rid of her old scarf she had worn on Jakku, replacing it instead with the gray vest Leia had given her, and her shirt plunged a bit lower down her cleavage than she wanted.

Jess put her hands up. "Fine. If you don't want to tell me who you slept with, it's all good. It's not like I would tell anyone." She sounded resolved, and left the room.

Rey said nothing. She hated that Jess was butt hurt, but Rey had never been the secret-sharing type anyways. Besides, what had happened was between her and Kylo.

She stared at herself in the mirror. She had truly grown up these past few months. While she had always seen herself as responsible, Rey noticed how much she had matured, both physically and emotionally. She was no longer the girl from Jakku, but a woman training to be a Jedi. And even Luke had told her she was nearly done with her training.

She opted for her tri-buns to keep her hair out of her face. Looking in the mirror one last time, she took a deep breath in.

 _You can do this._

* * *

Within the hour, the Special Task Force members were ready to go. Iolo and Jess had taken their positions in their Headhunters. Leia and Lando would stay behind, assisting them on their mission from the base. Luke, Kylo and Rey would join the rest of the Task Force on the Passenger ship.

Patiently waiting in the loading bay, Luke and Rey stood side by side. She could sense the tense atmosphere. The minute she had stood beside him, her nerves were on edge. She supposed they had the same feelings: that they wanted today over with as soon as possible. But she knew it had only just begun.

"So this is it?" Rey finally said. After saying it, she realized it had come out more of a question.

Her master took a deep breath. "Let us hope this can be the end. It's not going to be easy, you know."

She shook her head. "I know."

They made eye contact. "Kylo will be tested. After knowing this, and the history he has with Snoke, do you still trust him?"

That was the ultimate question. Throughout the past few weeks, Rey had seen Kylo change— but actions really did speak louder than words. Today was his final test.

"We don't have any choice but to trust him." She decided.

"And if you're wrong?"

Rey's mind wandered to the night before. How she had been trying to bury her feelings for the man, unsuccessfully. How she hadn't really thought about the consequences. And most of all, if she had been wrong about Kylo, how she would explain that she had slept with him. Eventually, she knew Jess would reveal her secret, whether she meant to or not.

"I hope I'm not."

Lando and Leia approached them.

Leia embraced her brother. "Be careful, okay?" she begged him.

"I'm always careful." He teased.

She visibly rolled her eyes. "I doubt that. Rey, make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

Rey couldn't agree more. "Don't worry. I'll look out for him." She raised her eyebrows at Luke. Across the way, Kylo stepped on to the runway, making his way towards the group; he was impossible to miss since he now donned his old black robes.

"I'll look out for both of them." She promised.

"Thank you." Leia said, expressing her gratitude. Rey knew Leia had no idea whether her son or brother would return after today, and she had already lost so much.

"The Skywalker's do have to look out for one another after all." Luke added.

Lando spoke up, something clearly bugging him. "See, that's what I've been wondering. So is Rey a Skywalker then?" he wondered. He clearly thought that was Rey's connection to the family, but it was still playfully asked.

"If only that were true." Rey chuckled. "It's a bit more complicated than that... Leia can explain if you really want to know. But no, we are not related." She chuckled. Thank God they weren't.

In his large boots, Kylo sauntered up to the group. Rey noticed Lando visibly grow tenser. Kylo ignored him, and addressed Rey.

"Do you know where my gloves are?" he asked, holding up his gloveless hands.

"No, why would I—." But she stopped midsentence. She suddenly remembered he had taken them off last night and left them in the…

 _Damn it._

"I'll be right back…" she told Luke. She didn't want to say openly that Kylo had left them in the Falcon because of what it would insinuate. Kylo followed her, but as they turned their backs, Lando called him out.

"I heard what happened to Han." He stated, straight-faced. "The whole Galaxy knows. I just hope you don't do anything else you regret on this mission. Or I'll take it personally."

Rey watched as several emotions hit Kylo all at once, but unlike past times where he let his anger get the best of him, he pushed passed it.

He spun where he stood, staring down one of his father's oldest friends. " _No one_ has more regret about Han than I do." He emphasized. "Come on Rey, let's go." He muttered, leaving the others to mull over his latest confession.

Kylo didn't say a word as Rey led them towards the Falcon.

"Did you honestly forget where your gloves were?" she asked, knowing the last thing he wanted to talk about was his father.

He still didn't respond as they walked up the ramp. The minute they got inside Kylo punched the nearest wall and groaned out of frustration.

"Hey!" Rey yelled. "I get that you are frustrated, but you don't get to be mad at what Lando said."

He scoffed. "Oh, really?"

"Well… you haven't exactly apologized." Crossing her arms, she stood her ground. "Is it really _so hard_ to say the words 'I'm sorry'?"

He changed the subject. "You know what I find really unbelievable? Why is it that you find the need to save me? I've _kidnapped_ you. I've tried to _kill_ you." He came closer, their faces almost touching. "And I killed my father, someone that you cared for. _**So why are you still trying to save me?**_ "

Rey didn't know what to say. It was as if the old Kylo had finally surfaced after weeks of absence: the Kylo that had been controlled by his anger, instead of reason. Her nerves completely shot after his outburst, her eyes began to water and her throat closed up.

"Because..." she croaked, her words barely above a whisper. "I— I've fallen in love with you."

Not wanting to see his face any longer, she turned without another word out of the Falcon. Her emotions were in whirlwind. Her stomach suddenly started hurting, realizing what she had just admitted.

And how it was at the worst time possible.

* * *

Rey ambled towards the passenger ship, where a few of the Task Force members were already gathered. Finn saw her resolved expression, and broke away from Poe and Iolo.

"Hey, what's wrong?" she could tell him seemed really concerned. She fell into his arms and tried to hold back tears.

He gave her a bear hug. "Hey… Rey, whatever it is, it's going to be okay."

The two friends said nothing as they embraced. Rey closed her eyes, knowing that she had to put all her energy and focus into the mission. She could worry about her feelings later.

Taking a deep breath, she collected herself. "I'm fine." She lied, breaking away from Finn. "I just became overwhelmed with the mission."

He gave her a strange look. "You don't have to do this. If it's too much pressure for you, I'm sure Luke would—."

"No." she said plainly. "I'm going."

He nodded.

They turned towards the ship. The Passenger ship had a very basic layout. Walking on to the ramp, Rey could see six seats lining each wall, with protective straps and oxygen masks over each. In the front of the ship there was a pilot and copilots seat. Brushing passed her, Poe climbed aboard to address the group, and she realized everyone had arrived.

"Alright, I want to go over the plan one last time." Poe said confidently. "I want Rey and Luke to sit on either side of the prisoner." He was referring to Bane, who had been successfully locked away the past week. "Kylo, Jason and Finn will sit on the opposite side, acting as 'guards' to Kylo. Snoke will think we have two of his Knights, but in reality, Kylo will be the one to lead us in. Bane hasn't seen Kylo yet, and hopefully he won't figure it out."

"He won't." Kylo stated firmly. "But I do have to ask… I will need a weapon. I don't have to hold on to it now, but eventually I need one."

"I'll hold on to it." Luke offered, although it sounded like more of a demand. "But we will not be taking your saber." He added.

Even that shocked Rey. "I fight the best with a lightsaber. If you need my help, I need it."

Rey put their argument behind them for a moment to back him up. "I agree, if we have a chance against Snoke, we are going to need all the help we can get." Kylo tried to make eye contact with her but she ignored it.

"That's why he won't be using his _old_ one." Luke emphasized to the both of them. He sighed. "I've given this much thought, but if Rey can trust him, then I will too." He announced to the group. It was one of the first times he had acknowledged this in front of everyone. He looked Kylo squarely in the face. "And if your actions today prove this, then you can have this."

Rey gasped as Luke withdrew his old blue lightsaber from his belt. He grasped it steadily as the other members of the team stood astonished.

Kylo was speechless, not quite sure if Luke was serious. It seemed all anger had drained from her earlier argument with him, and the Kylo she had known these past few weeks had returned.

As soon as Luke withdrew the weapon, he put it back. "I don't want you using your old saber because it represents the dark side of you. This one— my father's passed down to me— is as much as yours as it is mine." He admitted.

They stood in silence for a moment when finally Leia spoke up. "I have earphones for each one of you. During the mission, you will be able to hear Lando and me talking to you through the earpiece. We will have a few infrared drones flying with you, guiding you through the terrain and finally through the First Order Base."

Lando cut in. "The only person on the mission to not get an earpiece will be Kylo, but Rey will be given an extra just in case. We don't want to leave anything to chance on this mission."

Rey held out her hand as two earpieces were handed to her, and watched as the rest of the group were given one. It was barely visible and the color of skin, with a small, blinking red light that fit into the inner ear. Lando explained that as the light kept blinking, there was a signal.

Lando and Leia formerly sent the group off, wishing them the best of luck. As Rey got on to the ship, she watched Leia pull Kylo off to the side. The General hugged her son, just barely reaching his chest. She whispered something into his ear, and then finally let him go.

Rey wondered if a small piece of Leia thought that perhaps this was her final send off to her son.

Rey glanced across the four seats that separated her and Luke, nervous for the prisoner who was soon to arrive. Luke seemed to sense this, and he gave her a comforting look.

On the opposite wall, Finn and Jason were handcuffing Kylo into his seat. The plan had been to treat Kylo as if he had always been a prisoner so Bane wouldn't suspect anything. They had hoped this would draw out Snoke. If anything went wrong, Rey hoped the majority of their fight would be between Snoke and Bane, if he got free.

Even though Kylo knew it was part of the plan, she couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable he seemed to be back in his cuffs.

"Here we go…" Finn muttered, looking out the back.

Walking up the runway was Bane, surrounded by guards with blasters and tasers. He struggled in his Force cuffs, a frustrated and disgruntled look on his face. His facial hair had grown the past week, giving him a five o'clock shadow.

The guards marched up into the ship and strapped Bane into his seat. Bane and Kylo, now facing each other after all this time, both had resentful mannerisms.

Bane let out a slight chuckle, but there was nothing funny about what he said. "I thought the _girl_ had killed you?"

The way he said girl was demeaning and provocative. It took Rey every ounce of self-control not to retort something back. But she soon found she didn't have to.

"Well you thought wrong." Kylo said smoothly.

"Cab you both do me a favor and shut up?" Poe remarked as he strode past the passengers to the front of the ship.

One of the captain's in the guard handed Poe a taser, stopping him in his tracks. "Just in case." He noted. Poe nodded, and handed the taser to Jason.

Before going to the front, Poe turned to Rey. "I don't need a co-pilot for this ship, but in case of trouble…?"

She shook her head. "If you need me, I'll be there." She promised. He gave her a nod, and turned to lift off.

The ships doors finally closed with a loud echo. Rey knew this was it. The moment had come. She would defeat Snoke today with the help of her friends, or die trying.


	27. Chapter 27: The Molten Temple

The passenger ship headed into the atmosphere, followed closely behind by Jess and Iolo in their Headhunters.

"It's going to be about an hour before we reach the system, so sit tight!" Poe called from the cockpit.

Rey adjusted the buckles that clung around her body. Only two seats away from one of the Knights of Ren, she tried to focus her attention ahead towards Finn. She had only just realized she had never heard the prisoner utter a single word.

Rey had been wondering all week if they had interrogated the man like they had with Kylo. Luke had avoided the subject— mostly because she had spent a great deal of her time with Kylo. Rey had respected Luke enough to not practice her dueling in front of Kylo, but they had taken most of that time to meditate and research their Force bond further. Consequently, Rey had spent her mornings near the Phantom Cascades with Kylo after her daily run with Poe, and her evenings in the archives researching more Jedi history and her Force Bond.

Without meaning to, Rey's gaze met Kylo's. His dark eyes bore into hers, as if begging her not to be angry with him. He tried to stay expressionless, avoiding any complications with his position, but she knew he desperately wanted to talk with her. After only a few seconds, she broke their eye contact but he continued to stare.

Fifteen minutes into flight, Bane finally decided to speak up. Finn and Jason had been quietly discussing the best way to take out a Storm Trooper (Finn had decided it was with a blaster since many were skilled in combat). Poe had teased from the front seat saying either way, Storm Troopers were easy kill, at which Finn rolled his eyes.

"They are also very easy to use mind control with." Rey laughed.

Realization dawned on Finn's face. "So _that's_ how you escaped on Starkiller?"

She shrugged but nodded her head yes.

"The Supreme Leader has been wanting to talk with you for a long time." Bane interrupted. He shifted in his seat.

The conversation stopped immediately. Not sure who Bane directed his comment to, Rey said nothing.

"As you can see, I've been a bit tied up." Kylo responded calmly.

Bane's lip went up coldly. "I wasn't talking to you." He turned to Rey.

 _He can't be talking about me._ Her pulse to look at Bane because of what he might say, Rey chose to ignore him.

"And _why_ would the Supreme Leader want to talk to a mere scavenger?" Kylo feigned annoyance. "Last time I checked the Supreme Leader wanted her and Skywalker dead." He spoke as if the people he talked about weren't right in front of him.

"You know as well as I do that she is no _mere scavenger._ Nor has she ever been. And last time I checked, _you_ were the one who wanted to bring the girl back with you to finish her training…"

"Watch yourself." Luke warned from his seat.

Before she even realized, Rey had unstrapped herself and pulled out her lightsaber in one swift motion. Raising it to Bane's throat, she stared at him threateningly.

"You think that scares me?" Bane spouted, almost jokingly.

"It should." She said simply. "Why does Snoke want to talk to me?" A million reasons raced through Rey's mind, and she wanted Bane to answer them.

"Rey!" Luke yelled from his seat. "That's enough." He said calmly.

Instantly, Rey felt a wave of calmness spread over her, and she put her lightsaber back in her belt. Bane remained silent.

Rey realized something was off. "Did you just use the Force on me?!" she asked Luke.

He sighed. "Yes, but…"

She didn't wait to hear his answer. Instead she went straight to the cockpit and sat next to Poe. "Have a nice flight." She called to the back sarcastically.

Rey didn't hear a word from the back as she strapped herself in once again. Frustration filled her— the fact that Luke would manipulate her in that way, how Bane talked about her, and with this mission. But most of all, she was frustrated with herself. That she had let her feelings get in the way of reason. She let her head fall into her hands.

"We should be out of hyperspace soon enough." Poe assured. He paused for a moment, as if thinking of the usual witty remark. Instead, he closed the door for a bit more privacy. "Did you want to talk about it?"

Rey raised her head. The moment her eyes met the pilot's, she seriously considered spilling everything, just to let it off her chest.

"You're a good friend Poe. Have I ever told you that?" she said instead, looking on towards the tunnel of stars.

"Rey— I'm flattered!" he raised one hand to his chest extravagantly.

Rey giggled, and her giggles soon turned to fits of laughter. She hadn't laughed like this in ages. Poe joined in, probably laughing at her ridiculousness. All her tense and nervous energy seemed to melt away in those moments and Rey felt more at peace.

After they were finished, Poe spoke up. "Honestly though Rey… whenever you are ready to talk, I'll be here." Her punched her shoulder lightly.

She punched him back. "Thanks." She said in all seriousness. "On a different note though— what is up with you and Iolo?" she raised her eyebrow.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Poe shrugged, but a smile crept on to his face.

Rey rolled her eyes. "It's _obvious_ you like him. Just like how you used to have a crush on Finn?"

Poe's eyes went wide. "Keep it _down._ " He laughed. "I don't want him hearing; things would become weird between us."

"I knew it!" she said pointedly. "Why haven't you asked him out yet?" she teased.

"Not sure if you noticed, but we are fighting a war here."

"Honestly, what better time to ask?"

He played with the controls for a moment. "You know, you're right."

Suddenly, the console started beeping. Poe jumped up from his seat and opened the cockpit door. "Is everyone strapped in? We are coming out of hyperspace!" he called to the passengers.

Pressing the intercom, Poe spoke to the other two pilots. "Blue one, Blue two, prepare to come out of Hyperspace, over."

Seconds later, Iolo and Jessika's voices came over the intercom for confirmation.

"You ready?" Poe asked Rey.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Was all she could muster. She readied herself as a secondary control pilot.

As Poe decompressed their Hyperspace speed, he added to his earlier confession. "For the record, I swing both ways!"

The ships Hyperspace ended, and suddenly their view was surrounded by an overcast sky. Their view completely fogged up, Rey didn't know how they'd be able to pilot the ship.

"You've got to be kidding." She mumbled under her breath.

"We had to take the risk. If we had come out of Hyperspace any sooner, First Order scanners would have discovered us for sure."

She nodded in agreement.

"I have the piloting down— do me a favor and stay in contact with blue one and blue two." He ordered.

"Roger that." Rey agreed. Squinting, she peered into the abyss of fog. The ship continued to drop in altitude. After a few minutes, mammoth trees with sprawled out vines and leaves revealed themselves.

"Alright, let's touchdown here."

Rey turned to the radio. "Blue one and Blue two, prepare for landing." She relayed.

"Copy that." Jessika responded.

"Copy, black leader." Iolo said.

Rey strapped into her seat just as Poe began the final descent. The dense fog finally cleared as the passenger ship landed in the jungle; the ship rocked slightly as it settled. Both pilots unstrapped quickly and headed to the back.

Poe took off his gloves and headed for the back doors. "Alright, we don't have much time. If we want to be successful on this mission, we have to be quick about it." He pointed to Kylo and Bane, raising his hands. "Luke and Finn, you will be the primary guard for Bane; Rey and Jason, you've got Kylo." A moment later, a rush of chilly air blew into the room as Poe opened the ships doors.

Jason headed to Rey's side, blaster in one hand and a weapons bag over his shoulder. Rey hadn't really bothered to ask about what was in it, but she secretly hoped it would give them the advantage they needed.

"Want one?" he offered, holding up one of his smaller blasters.

She shook her head. "I already have a weapon." She replied confidently.

He shrugged. "You never know. It's good to have a long range weapon."

 _He has a point._ Rey thought to herself as the group moved off the ship. Iolo and Jess were already waiting, waiting for Poe's next orders. Suddenly, Poe through his right fist in the air, halting the group to a stop.

He motioned for them to stay stationary, and then eyed Jess and Iolo. In an instant, they disappeared into the jungle.

"Where did they…?" Rey asked in a whisper, but Luke shushed her from the front. Only a few moments had passed when the trio returned.

"All clear." Poe confirmed. "Let's move out so we can get to the base before midday. Jess, Iolo, keep your communication systems on at _all times_ in case of…" he paused for a moment, eyeing Bane. "… _complications_."

The Knight grunted, clearly amused. It took all of Rey's strength not to unsheathe her saber then and there and end his miserable life.

The moment the group dissolved into the dense terrain, a sense of unease befell Rey. The trees were far to gigantic, the humidity became suffocating; the silent hum of the jungle felt like a warning— to turn back before it was too late…

" _Rey._ " A voice said, pulling her out of it. It was Kylo. She could never forget those dark eyes of his. They were swimming with regret, anger… but also love. And compassion. Something she had never thought possible until yesterday.

She put on a brave face, knowing he suspected something was wrong. "I'm fine!" she squeaked, almost a little too loudly. Luckily, Bane and Luke were far enough ahead in the line.

"Like hell." He mumbled, trying to keep up with the pace that she was now walking. "I _know_ I screwed up but…"

" _You want to talk about this_ _ **now**_ _?!_ " she spewed back.

Her insistent voice shut him up pretty quickly. Even though she sounded like it, she wasn't _really_ mad at him. Her frustration was really towards herself. She had never admitted she loved somebody before. The feeling was foreign and uncomfortable.

The group continued, single file. Every few minutes Luke would shove Bane forward a bit, and his hand would go towards his saber.

Rey felt they were getting closer. The uncomfortable, suffocating feeling had only grown worse with each step. And then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something moving through the trees.

On instinct, Rey grabbed the blaster from Jason's belt, turned off the safety, and aimed it towards the flying object.

Jason spun, looking at her in disbelief. "Hey, what?!..."

"Everything okay back their?" Poe called from the front.

A commanding voice rang in her ear. "Put the weapon down Rey; you're all clear!" it was the General speaking through her earpiece. But Rey didn't move. Seconds later, the object flew out of the trees.

Rey sighed from relief. It was only one of the Task Force's infrared drones. Relaxing, she handed the gun back to her counterpart.

"Sorry, I thought I saw something." She apologized.

"Don't worry about it." He shrugged. "But maybe you need a blaster after all." Shuffling through his bag, he pulled out another blaster, about half the size he currently carried.

 _Maybe he is right…_ Rey thought, and took the gun with a small smile.

With a wave of his hand, Poe once again led the team forward, this time with a faster pace. Rey looked far ahead. The thick jungle trees began to clear, and beyond, a huge Temple rested on the side of a mountain. She assumed that's where Snoke had to be, but she didn't see any ships moving in or out, nor any sign of Storm Troopers.

Rey immediately saw a flaw in their plan. Even though there were no First Order troops in sight, the distance between the Jungle and the Temple was extensive. Bubbling lava ruptured onto the surface, creating a path of hardened volcanic rock. There was practically no cover. She could see why Snoke had chosen this place to hide.

Poe halted behind a large boulder and they all regrouped, pushing Bane and Kylo towards the rock's wall. Finn pushed his blaster into Bane's face.

"When I get these Force cuffs off, I'm killing you first." Bane vowed.

"I'd like to see you try." Finn retorted.

Rey tried her best not to cut in. If Bane tried anything… she would personally cut off both his hands before he could ever touch Finn. "Poe, you never said this was a volcanic planet!" Rey noted.

He shook his head. "I had no idea either. We didn't exactly get much intel for this mission." Licking his lips, he took out his binoculars from his side bag. "I'm going to take a quick look." He told them collectively, and then turned his focus to the Temple.

Rey turned to Luke just as their drones glided soundlessly passed them. Rey guessed Leia was sending them ahead to scan for dangers.

"Luke…" she began, but she could barely finish. The uneasy feeling hadn't exactly gone away, and she felt the need to talk to him about what happened on their flight here. She didn't want her passive aggressive behavior getting them killed.

As if he knew, he pulled her off to the side, out of earshot to the rest of the group. "I'm sorry, about earlier on the ship. But you _can't do that again._ " the Jedi warned. "Especially now, you need to control your emotions. You must use everything I have taught you. You will be tested."

He was right. She knew he had calmed her earlier before she made a mistake— a mistake that would have risked the entire mission. Rey tried calming her nerves. "I have this feeling." She admitted. "I— I am not sure what it is, but I felt it as soon as we left the ship. It was as if I was suffocating." She closed her eyes, her back now to Luke and the group.

Luke's hand touched her shoulder. "Feel the presence of the Force; it surrounds us even now. Let it guide your actions and your feelings. Only then can you rid of this suffocating feeling."

Rey turned, her hazel eyes meeting his blue ones. For a moment, she felt a sense of déjà vu. She thought back to the first moment they were face to face, when her own future was just as uncertain as the fate of the galaxy. She knew her journey with Luke Skywalker had always been leading up to this moment. A wave of calmness flooded her being, and the suffocating feeling finally drifted away.

Poe lowered his binoculars. "Everything looks clear, but I want to wait until the drones return." He confirmed. "The Temple is less than a mile away, so if we stay in a tight group we should be able to make it."

"Finn and I can take the front." Jason offered.

"That's alright, just keep your focus on the prisoners." Poe commanded. "If I need you, you will know." He placed his hand on his ear. "Copy that." He referred to the voice behind it. "We need to move out now."

Sticking with the plan, Rey grabbed Kylo by the arm. She shoved him forward a bit harder than she had meant to.

"No need to be rough with me, scavenger girl." He winked. Rey tried her best not to roll her eyes.

"Just keep moving." She sighed. She would have smiled if had only been the two of them.

The lava bubbled around them. Rey watched her step, steering clear of the lava pits. As they came closer to the Temple, she was able to see more of it detailing. Ancient and crumbling, it looked close to ruin. She guessed no one had set foot in ages… at least until Snoke did recently.

Large stone doors outlined the mountain front, and Rey wondered what lay behind them. She wondered what would happen if Snoke already knew they were coming, and what would become of her friends if that happened to be the case.

Someone behind her said something, but she couldn't make out what it was. She spun, still holding Kylo by the arm. "What was that?"

Confused, Jason replied. "No one said anything."

"Oh." She kept walking. She could have sworn…

 _Come to me…_

 _There it is again. I have to be imagining things._ She thought, trying to convince herself everything was fine. It had to be her comms unit.

She sighed in relief as a voice broke through.

"— it's a—." This time a Lando's voice came through the comm's unit.

Poe once again placed his hand on his ear. "What was that? Your transmission didn't go through."

But Rey could hear nothing else but static.

"Poe, what do we do? That could be a warning." Finn insisted.

Luke cut in. "I agree. But we have come too far. If we turn back now, we may never find Snoke."

Rey could visibly see Poe contemplating Luke's advice. And while he highly respected General Organa to the point where he would do anything for her, she knew he would complete the mission, no matter what it took.

"Okay. Let's do this."

The Task Force had traveled halfway over the lava field when the air became eerily still. The uncomfortable feeling Rey had felt earlier came back. She found herself stop, yet again, to catch her breath.

Without warning, lava broke through the surface of the earth. Kylo let out a loud grunt and doubled over, almost knocking Rey over.

" _Get out of my_ head!" he shouted, placing his hands over his ears in vain. Something was very, very wrong.

"Kylo?!" Rey shouted. His eyes had glazed over; he was looking straight through her, his mind somewhere far away.

"Get out… I thought he was gone for good…" he muttered under his breath. Rey was trying to make sense of it all when…

Just past Jason, who was now walking over to help Rey, was a figure Rey had never seen before. Ancient and worn, he had a gash through his head and part of his face. At first glance, he didn't seem threatening, but then Rey looked into his dark eyes.

 _Snoke._ She knew it was him. It wasn't just a feeling in the Force, but those eyes… she had never looked into ones so menacing. The lava continued to burst, and a path of molten was coming closer to where Kylo and Rey bent over.

" _Luke_ …" her voice croaked, but was unable to take her eyes off the figure. Then, as soon as Snoke had appeared, he was gone. Evaporated into thin air.

Maybe she was going crazy.

Rey shook her head, attempting to clear her thoughts. She helped Kylo up; his face had turned as white as a sheet, and clammy sweat covered his forehead. They continued on with the group, who seemed wary at Kylo's sudden outburst. Finn asked if she was okay. She definitely wasn't, but she lied anyways.

"You saw him too?" she asked Kylo under her breath, already knowing the answer.

His eyes widened from concern. "Why, did you—?!"

"Everyone be quite!" Luke yelled, and turned his head towards the jungle.

At first, Rey heard nothing but the bubbling lava. But then she felt something… the ground under her feet began to rumble, and suddenly, camoflauged First Order machines materialized from the Jungle edge.

"What are those?!" Rey yelled in a panic, to no one in particular.

"Those are mobile assault walkers. We need to get to the Temple— now!" Finn insisted.

Finn didn't have to say another word. The group began to sprint towards the Temple entrance, now only fifteen feet away. Poe and Jason reached the heavy doors first, and attempted to open them. Rey and Kylo had almost reached them, when she heard a yell behind her.

Letting go of Kylo's arm for a moment, she ran back towards Luke, Bane and Finn. Bane had seen his chance to escape and was now fighting with his fists, unafraid of the blaster Finn pointed at him.

Rey grabbed her doubled-edged lightsaber and drew it.

"Rey, wait!" Luke warned.

But it was too late. With a heavy blow, Rey knocked Bane to the ground. Just as she lowered her saber to his throat, Bane's force shackles sliced in two as he defended himself. Without hesitation, with a flick of his wrist she flew back, hitting her head on the solid rock.

"Rey!" Kylo shouted.

She recovered quickly, but she was still dizzy as she willed herself to stand up. Luke had now drawn his saber too, but Bane was already at the Temple doors. Still unable to get them open, Poe and Jason turned, blasters at the ready, and fired towards their attacker.

With ease, Bane brushed them aside with the force. With a wave of his hand, ancient runes engraved in the door lit up blue, opening themselves. Completely unfazed, Bane turned.

Rey and Luke stopped on the Temple steps, lightsabers at the ready. Poe and Jason both laid unconscious on either side of the Knight.

Bane picked up Jason's blaster. "You honestly think you could fool me into believing that Kylo Ren has not fallen?" His lip turned upwards into an evil grin. He examined the blaster casually, as if he was in no danger.

Kylo strode past them, and while his voice sounded commanding, she could sense his nervousness. "Bane, as the leader of the Knights of Ren, I insist—."

"You _insist_?!" he scowled. "The Supreme Leader was right. The girl has made you fall from grace. You are no longer a Knight of Ren."

Rey knew their plan had failed and that Kylo was stalling for time. For all they knew, the First Order has them surrounded. Poe and Jason were out, and as long as Kylo was in his Force cuffs, he was barely any use to them. And if Bane made it into the Temple alone... She inched herself forwards up the steps. She had to reach the inside before he did.

Still feigning, Kylo tried to coerce him. "If you would allow us to at least have a chance to talk with Snoke, then he would see—."

Bane started to laugh. "There are no more chances for a traitor." He cautioned Kylo. He inched his way back until his figure disappeared into the darkness.

And then all hell broke loose.


	28. Chapter 28: The Veil

The Mobile Assault Walkers were no longer in the shadows of the Jungle. It was as if they had sped up their assault, and now would reach the group within minutes. What astonished Rey the most were not the huge war machines heading straight for them, but the figures that controlled them.

Stormtroopers with black armor sat atop each Walker, their helmets and armor almost identical to a normal Stormtrooper. She squinted, and realized lines of the same stormtroopers followed alongside the machines.

"What the hell." Finn rasped. "Shadow Stormtroopers haven't been used since the Galactic Empire."

"It seems they are out of retirement." Jason grunted. "Lucky us."

Rey had no time to ask what a shadow Stormtrooper was… only think about her mission at hand. In one swift and bold move, she rolled into the Molten Temple, straight into the cavern within. Her head came up in time to see her friends walking towards the enemy. They were largely outnumbered, but if she had learned one thing from the past few months was this: never underestimate the light side. Within half a second, the large stone doors echoed shut, leaving Rey in complete darkness.

* * *

The Temple doors shut behind them, blocking any way of escape. Finn knew that Bane was gone. The ground beneath him trembled; it was as if the lava field knew a battle was about to take place. Bursts of magma erupted from the surface, throwing obsidian high into the air. He surveyed their numbers making sure everyone was there…

"Rey?" he called. No answer.

At the mention of her name, Luke pivoted, searching frantically for any sign of her. He sighed, closing his eyes. "She went after him." his voice was so low, Finn almost didn't hear him.

"There has to be another way in!" Finn cried.

Poe shook his head. "Even if there was, it would take us hours to find it. And we don't have hours."

Finn noticed he hadn't heard Kylo speak. Kylo was facing the closed doors, his eyes cast down. Finn had no idea what had happened to him on the lava field, but whatever it was, it seemed to affect Rey just the same. He still didn't exactly like Kylo… but if Rey trusted him, then maybe he could too. Besides, if Finn was able to turn away from the First Order, why couldn't Kylo?

So he made a split decision. Half running to Poe, he held out his hands. "Give me the keys."

Poe gaped at him, not sure what to say. But after a moment, he complied. "I'm trusting you know what you are doing?" he eyed Kylo, and Finn knew that Poe felt the same way he did about the former Knight of Ren.

Finn shook his head yes. "We need all the help we can get."

"Okay. But let me do it." Poe proposed. He addressed not only Kylo, but the task Force as a whole. "Bane may escaped, but Rey made it into the Temple. That leaves her to complete the mission… alone. That means we need to do everything in _our_ power to stop _those_ war machines from getting to her!" He pointed to the Shadow Stormtroopers. Kylo turned towards the Captain, a new fire in his eyes. He and Poe's eyes locked, and it was as if they finally had a mutual understanding with each other. Poe strode confidently over to Kylo, and unlocked his shackles.

Out of the corner of his eye, Finn could see Luke smile.

"Will you lead us into battle?" Poe inquired. Luke seemed to agree with Poe, and revealed his Anakin's lightsaber from under his robes.

Kylo admired the lightsaber, and seemed to be considering their offer. He seemed shocked that the Task Force members seemed to finally be trusting him. He glanced back towards the doors longingly, if only for a moment, as if he would have rather follow Rey into the dark. Finn knew the feeling, so he stepped in.

"As her best friend, I know what she would have wanted. She would have wanted us to fight them—." he pointed towards the Walkers. "–together. Trust me, I want to follow her too. I don't want her to face Snoke alone. But we have no other choice. And maybe… maybe she needs to do this alone."

Kylo's chest puffed up, his posture growing straighter. A man of few words, it surprised Finn to hear him speak more than a sentence. "You're right. Perhaps I am needed here. I'll lead you into battle." He nodded to Poe. Luke handed him his Grandfather's lightsaber. Kylo took it willingly, admiring every inch of the weapon. "But Snoke has affected me in ways I can never explain." He and Luke locked eyes, as if they knew a dark secret no one else did. "And I think… I think it's beginning to affect Rey now. So if at any time I find that there is a way into the Temple, I'm taking it."

"If what you say is true, than she needs someone who has been in the same… _situation_." Luke chose his words carefully.

Just then, the first shot blasted the rock behind them.

"We need to move!" Poe yelled. He pointed to Jason, who was already getting explosives out of his bag.

"On it!" Jason yelled, and scurried away.

Finn was ready for this. He didn't have time to wonder how, or why, the First Order was suddenly using Shadow Stormtroopers again. He didn't have time to wonder how five Resistance fighters could battle a small army of Walkers and Stormtroopers. He didn't have time to wonder what fate lie inside the Temple for Rey. He only had time for one thing: to fight. The fate of the Galaxy depended on it.

* * *

The first thing Rey noticed was how cold it was. Compared to the humidity outside, the temple was cold and damp; only a single ray of sunlight was visible hundreds of feet above, through a crack in the ruin.

It was also dark. Not only could she barely see a thing, but with each step felt the darkness around her. Her footsteps echoed, and she heard herself breathe.

 _Bane,_ she suddenly remembered. Where had he gone? It would be impossible to see him in this darkness, and she didn't want to give herself away if he was lurking in the shadows. As a precaution, Rey unclipped her lightsaber, holding it with both hands. Her heart pounded in her chest so loudly she could have sworn someone else would be able to hear it too.

And then… a shuffling in the corner of the vast space. Behind a pillar, she heard footsteps.

"So—." A deep, menacing voice taunted. "—you thought following me would be a good idea?" His voice echoed throughout the cavern, making it difficult to pinpoint. Bane sighed, but his tone teased her. "I suppose dying in here is better than out there? But at least out there you could go down with a fight."

Her blood boiled. Without meaning to, she retorted back. "Show yourself, coward!"

Out of nowhere, a large boulder slammed against her skull. She stumbled on to her knees; her eyes began to water from the blow. Ignoring the pain, she rolled herself behind a nearby pillar, resting behind it.

"Come out, come out… little scavenger." The Knight taunted.

Rey threw her hand over her mouth so he couldn't hear her panicked breath. Something damp began to drip down her forehead… was it sweat or blood? She couldn't tell.

 _Get up._ The footsteps drew closer.

Struggling, Rey searched inwards. She slowed her breathing and closed her eyes… _feel it; feel the Force flowing through you._ She told herself, repeating the words Luke had told her back on the island. She imagined herself on the highest peak of the island again, meditating with Luke…

" _The Force is always with you, no matter where you go." Luke said wisely._

 _"What do you mean? Even... even when I was on Jakuu?" Rey doubted him. She had never felt its presence on the desolate planet._

 _"Even on Jakuu. I too, grew up on the desert planet of Tatooine, as my father did before me. And while I never noticed it, the Force was always there, guiding me, leading me to my eventual destiny—."_

 _"Of becoming a Jedi?" she interrupted._

 _He nodded. "But my true destiny was not becoming a Jedi— it was bringing balance to the Force."_

 _"But what does that even mean?"_

 _"There must always be a balance, between the light and dark side. Too much of one would bring an imbalance to the Force."_

 _Did he mean what she think it did? That there must always be equal light and dark in existence?_

 _As if reading her thoughts, he continued. "Snoke holds a dark grip over the Galaxy. He must be destroyed, or he will destroy everything we hold dear. I would say he is almost more powerful than the Emperor—."_

 _"But who is Snoke? How will I know it is him?"_

 _Luke looked out to the sea. "No one knows who Snoke was, before he became deformed. But I believe him to be centuries old."_

 _"How can someone be that old? Is that even possible?"_

 _She sensed the wonder in Luke too. "I have my suspicions… but I will save that discussion for a later time."_

Rey came back to the present. She thought back to ten minutes ago, when she had realized Snoke had appeared to her. Had that actually been him, or was it only a vision?

She shook her head. _Focus on the present_ , she begged, trying not to let her mind wander. However, she felt stronger than before; it seemed thinking back to her conversation with Luke had brought her strength back. She was ready to fight.

She allowed herself only a second more, and then came out of hiding. Bane was waiting; the single ray of light cast upon his darkened face.

"I thought you would have been knocked unconscious by that blow."

Her saber lit up bright gold. "You thought wrong."

Rey advanced, both hands gripping her weapon. She pivoted, attempting to blaze his side, but he tumbled behind her, avoiding the blow. She pivoted again, this time rotating her double-sided blade to avoid any advances. He tried kicking her feet in, but she jumped and landed with ease.

He had disappeared again into the blackness. Rey squinted, turning on the spot, trying to see where he ran off to. "What?!" she yelled at nothing. "You don't want to fight me?"

Her taunting seemed to of had its effect, because only a moment later, she heard his voice yet again. "Oh, I want to fight you. I'd kill you, if allowed." He admitted with pleasure. "But I'm leaving that for the Supreme Leader."

"Too bad that's not going to happen." Rey spoke with a confidence she didn't know she had.

"Your foolishness will lead you to your downfall. You don't realize the power he possesses…"

But Rey didn't let him speak another word. She had been following the sound of his voice, which had given his hiding spot away. Taking him by surprise from behind, she slashed his lower back and watched him drop like a rock.

On his hands and knees now, he spit at her feet, which were now in front of his fallen figure. "Do it." He grunted.

But Rey remembered what Luke had told her. That a Jedi's power was for knowledge and defense. Not for killing... especially because her opponent had no weapon. Snoke was different, she liked to think. So instead, she grabbed the nearest rock and knocked him unconscious.

Swiftly, using her lightsaber as a light, she looked around the cavern floor for any loose pieces of rope. After thirty seconds of frantically searching before bane woke up, she found loose pieces of twine.

 _This will have to do._ She mused. Quickly, she ran back to where Bane lied and tied his hands and feet to each other, behind his back. _That should hold him, but not for long._

She rubbed her hands on her pants, rubbing off dust. It was only then that she thought about her next step: Snoke.

Seeing no other choice, she wandered to the end of the cavern. There was only one doorway; Rey could only make out the space in direct view. As she made her way down a tunnel, a sense of déjà vu came over her. The Temple reminded her of the Jedi Temple on Ach-To. There were the same columns, same tunnel structure… but this place was creepy and seemed haunted. It made her wonder whether this Temple was a place for Dark-side users…

…The end of the Tunnel came suddenly, leading Rey out to a ledge that went three ways: left, right, or straight down. She couldn't discern what lay below, and she doubted she wanted to find out.

On instinct, or maybe a gut feeling, she turned left. She slowed her breath as she held one hand on the wall and the other on her saber. The tall height didn't exactly frighten her; she had climbed much higher in the Starships back on Jakuu. But she took precaution anyways.

It seemed like ages before she reached the other side. It was hard to tell how much time had passed… maybe fifteen minutes?

A lot could happen in those fifteen minutes… anxiety crept in as she thought about her friends. About Kylo, and how it felt when his bare hand had touched her cheek. The way he had gazed at her when they…

She shook her head, trying to snap herself out of it.

She was soon led into yet another tunnel, and as the minutes crept by, she began to climb back towards the surface. A light shone above— had she really just gone in a circle?

She ran, fast, towards the light, not stopping to think of what may be on the other side. Rey caught her breath, and realized it was only another room. This time it was circular; sunlight shone brightly through a sky roof. A great throne sat in the center, with seven smaller seats made of stone facing it.

"Hello?" her voice echoed throughout the chamber. No one answered.

That's when she noticed a ghostly lit doorway. It was oddly placed in the center of the chamber, in the view of each seat. Rey did a one-eighty, inspecting every side of it, and realized she could see through to each side no matter which way she looked.

She dared to wander closer to the ghostly door. Perhaps it was her curiosity, but the door beckoned. Rey lifted her hand, brushing the mist. It wrapped gently around Rey's fingers; she gasped out of surprise, but all her fear vanished in an instant. She only felt peace.

" _Everything will be alright_." A familiar, but distant voice, called. Rey wasn't sure, but she thought it belonged to her mother.

" _You found us, Rey. I'm so proud of you_."

It had to be her mother. Frantically, she looked around for the voice. "Where are you?!" she called out, not caring who heard her anymore. "Mother…!"

But Rey was cut short as a figure grabbed her from behind. "ARRRGH!" it screamed menacingly. Rey let out a gasp before the wind was knocked out of her and her saber was tossed across the floor. Rough hands locked around her throat, and through teary eyes, Rey saw Bane.

"You think simple _ropes_ could hold me?!" he screamed into her face.

She ignored his words and tried kicking him in the gut, but he pressed his body weight into hers.

"Get— _off_ —!" she managed. She tried pushing his face back. He quickly moved his hands from her throat to her wrists, and slammed them down high above her head. Rey tried her best not to wince.

"What? Are you _uncomfortable_?" He was fuming now. Even in her current position, Rey still held a small bit of satisfaction she had almost bested him.

As if reading her thoughts, he pushed his torso on to hers. Rey gasped again, trying to breathe with the sudden weight compounding on her body. There was no way she could reach her lightsaber—and if she used the Force he would grab it from her hands…

And then he was forcing Rey to stand, and pushed her against the side of the doorway. He had been so rough with her that she let out a cry of pain. "Perhaps after you have changed your mind and joined us, I can have you for myself?"

She spit in his face. "Where. Is. Snoke?!" she demanded.

He laughed, and his laughter echoed hauntingly around the chamber. "He isn't here, you foolish girl. This was a setup. A trap." He shrugged. "We just had to make sure _you_ came along."

 _No…_

"Why..." she croaked, her voice cracking. Confusion, defeat, and disbelief cluttered her mind.

"So I could do _this_ …"

All Bane had to do was push her a few inches, and the damage was done. Rey felt the cool mist of the ghostly door surround her being. A cloud of white began to surround her entire body, tugging her backwards.

Bane ambled backwards, watching in awe and pride. And as the seconds ticked by, rey felt less and less like herself. Her mother's voice called again as a blinding light shone in her face. Finally, she disappeared from the world she knew.


	29. Chapter 29: Battle Felucia

Kylo Ren knew the First Order had been training a new division of Storm Troopers ever since Starkiller Base was destroyed. Shadow Stormtroopers were a kill-strike team with cloaking devices on both their ships and armor, allowing them to sneak up on an enemy without detection. It explained why a simple drone wasn't able to spot them in the jungle.

The drone… a sudden thought came to Kylo.

Kylo signaled to Poe, who had assumed a defensive position with the coming enemy. And even though his voice was barely above a whisper, he knew Poe heard him.

" _The Princess will save her knights_."

Poe gave his signature grin, eyes lighting up with a new purpose. He nodded, and Kylo felt as if it was the first time they had been on the same page. He had hoped Poe would somehow forgive him for the past, and perhaps after they fought on the same side the pilot would.

Poe held his earpiece a bit closer. "Blue one, come in Blue One!" Kylo watched him concentrate for a moment as Jessika answered and then continue. "I know. We are surrounded and within may be overtaken. Implement Plan B."

 _There was a Plan B?_ Kylo speculated. _Of course there was, and of course they didn't tell me._ He should have expected that.

Finn ran up. "Jason just gave me the signal- he is in position." Poe gave a quick nod and looked to Kylo for the next instructions.

Kylo pointed with two fingers directly towards the ground troops. "We can avoid the blasts from the Walkers, but it's the ground troops we need to be concerned about. Do you see the ones with backpacks? Those contain-."

"-chemicals that create fire." Finn finished. "I know. Or have you forgotten that I used to be one of them?"

They had a stare down for a moment when Poe broke the silence with a cough. "Seeing that you are both traitors now, I don't see how it matters…"

"I thought you were the one leading us, sir?" Finn accused, turning to Poe.

"This isn't a question of leadership, Finn. This is about strategy, and trying to avoid being _killed_!"

"-may I cut in?" Luke interrupted.

"Where have you been?!" Kylo retorted.

"Saving your skins while you three are sitting here bickering. Now, I have a few tricks up my sleeves when it comes to Walkers. I've taken down a few Walkers in my day."

Kylo rolled his eyes. He would have retorted, but the Walkers began to rain heavy fire, causing black volcanic rock to explode around them. Finn, Poe, and Luke fell to the ground for protection, but Kylo did no such thing. Unafraid and confident they could hold the troops back until Leia arrived, Kylo walked directly into the line of fire.

His robes rippled in the sudden breeze, his gaze focused on his new enemy. Blasts erupted around him; whether it was his own force ability or sheer luck, every shot missed him. So much had changed within the past few weeks, and only for a second did he doubt whether he had made the right choice. He turned on his grandfather's blue lightsaber, his family heirloom. And then his mind drifted to Rey; her stubborn but understanding nature was what had truly drawn him in. He longed to touch her once more, to feel her tender cheeks and her lips on his own. He wanted _all of her_ …

A weird sensation rose in his chest, consuming him. He had never felt this… this _emotion._ It felt foreign. Only once had he felt it, but for his mother, and that was different.

And in that moment he knew. He had fallen for the scavenger.

Then another emotion filled him with rage. He wasn't just angry. He was _furious_ that she was trapped in the Temple with Bane… with Snoke. He had failed her. Not because she was alone. But because he knew exactly what was in there.

He had heard Snoke discuss it before. An ancient power… it had sounded terrifying yet intriguing at the time. It had powers unimaginable, and Time didn't make sense there. Snoke had said it held the key to everlasting life…

His thoughts were interrupted as his enemy were almost upon him. He blocked a few shots that came his way, never stopping. One by one, each Task force member joined his side: first Luke, lightsaber also drawn, then Finn, and finally Poe.

"I told her just to send Resistance fighters, but Leia is also on her way." Luke relayed.

"She was always the stubborn one, wasn't she?"

Luke smiled. It was the first time he had smiled at Kylo since he was a teenager. Kylo almost smiled back at his Old Master.

Just then, Jason caught up with the group and held his thumb up. "Bombs are ready!"

Poe drove his hand forward. Poe, Finn and Jason began shooting from their blasters. Both sides took each at a run. The Walkers cast an eerie shadow over them. Their drivers navigated flawlessly through the lava field. One of the mechanical feet into a pool of lava and as its leg lifted, was completely unscathed.

"Their armor seems impenetrable!" Finn yelled.

The first wave of Shadowtroopers were upon them, and went straight for Kylo and Luke. Kylo held out his free hand, and as if Jason knew what he was thinking, opened his bag. A blaster flew from the bag to Kylo's hand, and he fired at the nearest Shadowtrooper, first aiming for the head, then the chest, and finally the shoulder blade…

The Shadowtrooper stumbled back, finally wounded.

"Aim for their shoulder blades!" he yelled, and came to a stop so he could get a better shot. "There is a kink in the armor!"

The others seemed to have taken note because both Finn and Poe stopped in their tracks. Now spread out over the field, the three of them combined were able to take out the first line. Despite their best efforts, they just kept coming. Suddenly, the Black Stormtroopers broke rank and ambushed them.

Kylo lunged forwards, meeting his old ally face-to-face. His blade cut through their armor with ease. The moment they realized who he was, they concentrated their fire on him. That was the first warning. He had no problem hacking through stormtroopers- they meant nothing to him- but weren't they trying to rescue him and Bane? Unless…

His thoughts were interrupted once more as a silver stormtrooper broke through the ranks. She was hard to miss in her Captain's uniform, her regal cape blowing in the wind. Even Finn stopped firing his blaster, in disbelief that Captain Phasma was somehow still alive. Kylo already knew this- she had escaped on the same ship as him; she had even been the one to help him since he had been so injured at the time, and Hux was a weakling.

Phasma raised her fist high in the air, and fighting ceased. He noticed even after the cease fire she only had eyes for him. "So, this is what has become of the great Kylo Ren." In her arms she carried a Z6 riot control baton instead of her usual blaster. She obviously had one-on-one combat in mind.

"I think that's the first time you ever complimented me." he indicated, trying to keep his tone light.

"Don't play with me. I am not here for small talk."

If he could have seen her face behind the mask, he was sure she was scowling. She continued. "I have been ordered by Leader Snoke, that upon your betrayal to your Former Master, by galactic order you are hereby a traitor to the First Order and sentenced to death."

Several questions ran through his mind at once; the most important being how she had discovered he was no longer a prisoner. They had taken several precautions; Bane hadn't even seen him until their mission today. But then Bane had also known that he had fallen from grace before escaping into the temple. That meant that perhaps, they had a traitor in their midst…

"You cannot win this." Phasma's voice boomed. "It is five against our entire army." she turned her head from side to side.

Poe cleared his throat. "I'd say our odds may have improved." For a moment Kylo thought he was acting on bravado, but then he heard them. In the distance, beyond the jungle, in the mountains, shapes were forming in the sky. In only seconds, the Resistance had arrived and chaos broke out once again. X-Wings were now attacking the Walkers, and a large shuttle had unloaded in the distance with several groups of resistance fighters emerging. Backup had finally arrived.

Kylo focused his attention back to Phasma. Her baton vibrated, electric sparks flying from the sides.

"Where is the girl?"

Kylo's blood began to boil. " _What did you say_?" his words seethed through his clenched teeth.

She spoke slower this time, but louder enough for others to hear. "I said- where is the girl? Tell us, and your sentence may be changed to imprisonment."

"You will never find her- I'll make sure of that!" he vowed. He spun his lightsaber in his hand; he was done talking.

She seemed to ponder this for a moment, but then accepted it. "So be it." she swung hard, almost completely knocking him down. Kylo opened his palm, and he force flipped Phasma onto her side. Picking herself up with ease, she feigned a swing of her baton. He sidestepped, but mistakenly; an electric shock verberated down his back. It took all of his strength not to cry out in agony. He didn't want to give her the satisfaction.

He broke away from the weapon. A moment later, his lightsaber met her baton, forming a cross shape in the air.

"There is no point in protecting the girl-."

He fought harder, his continuous strikes forcing the Captain back several feet.

"I suspect if the girl and Bane are no longer here, then the Supreme Leader's plan has worked."

"HER NAME IS REY!" Kylo unleashed the anger that he had been holding onto. She tried to swing at him again, but with a wave of his hand, her weapon flew into his. He forced choked her; the Captain dropped to her knees as she held her throat gasping for air...

"Ben, STOP!"

It was only then that he realized the precarious position he had found himself in. a dozen Shadow Stormtroopers surrounded him, their guns aimed at him. He knew they were biding their time, making sure he didn't kill their Captain before they killed him. He couls sense they were terrified of him. It was his one advantage. It was his mother's voice that made him break concentration. Still holding his grip on Phasma, he turned. Leia stood next to her brother, with twice as many Resistance fighters as the First Order.

Her voice was calm, almost soothing. "We need to take her into custody." She reasoned.

He shook his head. "She'll never talk."

"Perhaps." His mother agreed. "But prove to me that you can be better."

In a split decision, to see if his mother's advice rang true, he addressed Phasma. "How do you know so much?" he inquired.

Silence. She might have spat on him if she could.

"I'm only going to ask one more time, or your time here is done. _How did you know I abandoned the First Order_?"

It felt weird finally admitting it out loud. Yet something rose in his chest: pride.

Hearing those words from his mouth broke her silence. "The Resistance is _far_ too trusting of their own. No wonder they trusted the likes of you- no doubt it was because of your _mother's_ influence. They've had a traitor in their midst for a while, they were just too blind to see it."

 _It can't be… I would have known. And if their is a traitor, then Rey…_

Phamsa continued, as if she had known exactly what he was thinking. "You won't be seeing the girl again. She is long gone by now."

Kylo's heart sank lower than it ever had before; he could feel the blood draining from his face. There was no hint of a lie in her voice. She told the absolute truth, and of course he knew she'd only divulge what he was meant to hear.

And then… it was as if everything was in slow motion. Phasma reached for something under her belt, pointing it in Leia's direction… he realized what was happening, and rammed his saber deep into her armor, but realized he was too late. Immediately, her guard began firing in every direction…

Kylo watched as the red streak from Phasma's blaster beelined for his mother. To his amazement, Leia's hand rose and suddenly the blaster fire floated in midair, only a foot away from her chest. Leia stepped a few feet to the right, put her hand down, and the blast hit a stormtrooper behind her.

Luke and Kylo stared at her in awe and utmost respect.

She rolled her eyes. "What? You thought only the men of the family could use the Force? I don't think so."

In only a few steps, he ran into his mother's arms. He felt her tense body relax at once; her head only reached his chest, but she stayed put, embracing him back.

"I love you, son." she muttered under her breath.

He kissed the top of her head. "I'm so sorry."

No other words were exchanged. It was as if their years upon years of estrangement had finally come to a halt. While he felt that everything he had done the past ten years was unforgivable, she had forgiven him anyways. She had been the one person in his life to teach him forgiveness and love. And no amount of power in the world could ever amount to a mother's love.

Finally, he stepped back; not because he wanted to, but because he had a mission to complete. He nodded to Luke, who had been watching their embrace from a short distance, and he sensed his old Master was very pleased with himself.

When he spoke, he was addressing both siblings. "I'll be back. Keep fighting."

His mother nodded, and reluctantly let him go.

Nothing mattered except getting into the Temple now. He killed anyone that got in his way, either by saber or by blaster. He ran, Rey consuming his every thought. And then he spotted Jason. Just the plan he wanted to see.

Crouched behind a boulder beside the Temple, he knew Jason had spotted him long before Kylo reached him. He looked nervous, but Kylo disregarded it.

"I need one of your bombs." he demanded.

"I need all of the bombs for Walkers!" Jason insisted.

"I understand, but we don't have time to argue over this. I need to get inside the Temple!" he insisted back.

For some reason, Jason still seemed wary. "I'm not so sure that's a good idea…"

Kylo gave him a dirty look. He didn't know it was humanly possible for the man to bug him more than usual.

 _I don't have time for this._ He thought. Without caring about the repercussions, he pushed Jason to the side and reached into his bag.

"Hey!" Jason griped as Kylo pulled a grenade from his satchel.

 _This better work,_ Kylo hoped, and threw the grenade at the Temple doors. The moment the bomb hit the stone, it imploded with a loud bang and the left door crumbled. A Walker nearby heard the explosion and began firing at him.

"Shit!" he cursed. Within seconds he reached the entrance, crawled over the newly formed rubble, and entered into the dark cavern depths.


	30. Chapter 30: Where you go, I follow

The sound of the fighting faded as Kylo was met with darkness. A single ray of light shone from the ceiling above, only illuminating a small part of the chamber. He didn't realize how fast his heart was beating. He took a moment to slow his breathing down.

"Rey?" his voice echoed. No answer. Gripping his lightsaber tightly, he marched to the end of the room where there was a single door…

 _This had to be where she went._ He began down a long hallway, using his lightsaber to light his way. He tried to sense her through their Force bond, but for some reason, it was more difficult than usual. Finally, he reached the end; the hallway led out to a deep pit, and on each side there was a ledge. "Rey!" he called again. Still no answer.

He closed his eyes, letting the force guide his next step. He thought of Rey: her hazel eyes staring into his; her worn hands with their own history; the way she reacted when he touched her…

 _Turn left._

Holding one hand to secure himself to the wall, he walked with a purpose, preparing himself for anything. He had no idea what was waiting for him on the other side, if Snoke had really succeeded in his plan, or if Rey had won the fight. What concerned him was that it was two against one- but he had confidence in the scavenger. She had proved her worth many times over. She had been through more in her life than anyone he knew. Perhaps even more than he had.

He could tell her was getting close. The path was widening; he sped up, eager to find Rey at last.

That's when he heard the struggling.

"Get- _Off_!" Rey's voice cried. He could feel her emotions again- her panic had set in. Pain suddenly shot through his body as Bane attacked her.

"What? Are you _uncomfortable?_ " Bane said maliciously, his voice becoming louder as Kylo approached. He tried connecting his thoughts to Rey's, relaying he was near.

He finally reached the other side. Kylo quietly stepped into a circular room, hiding in the shadows until he could strike. He spotted Bane and Rey immediately-they were towards the center, adjacent to a ghostly door...and then his suspicions were confirmed. He knew exactly where that door led.

Before he could make a move, Kylo watched in horror as Bane slammed Rey on the ground pinning her hands above her head. Rey struggled, but it was no use. She gasped as Bane slammed his torso against hers, leaving no space between their bodies. Now it was Kylo's turn to panic, his blood boiling. He bolted forward, but something stopped him.

It was a feeling he had rarely felt before, and usually only used on others. His limbs had frozen and an immense pressure hit his head in waves. He cursed himself for being too distracted to sense the Force hold. Focusing all his energy on moving, he willed his fingers to bend. _Come on…._

After a few seconds, his forefinger bent.

"Perhaps after you have changed your mind and joined us, I can have you for myself?"

Rage had been hiding inside Kylo for weeks, but it began to surface now.

Rey chose not to respond to his taunts. "Where is Snoke?!" she demanded to her captor.

"He isn't here you foolish girl. This was a setup. A trap. We just had to make sure _you_ came along."

Kylo felt Bane's hold on him slipping as the wave of pressure was no longer painful.

"Why…?" Rey sounded broken. With a pang in his chest, hearing her so broken, tore him apart. All he wanted to do was hold her and tell her it would be alright.

At last, Kylo felt the force hold subside. Without another thought, he rushed towards the scavenger, the woman he had grown to care so deeply for. And although he could still see her, he sensed her slipping away as the mist hugged her torso and shoulders.

And then she faded away.

It took his utmost strength to not collapse. His heart dropped to the bottom of his stomach. Clenching his fists, he stood his ground towards his enemy. He locked eyes with Bane, egging him on for a fight.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of silver at Bane's feet.

 _Rey's lightsaber._

Which meant she had no weapon, no way to protect herself. Kylo thought back to Snoke's teaching on the Veil. Not only did it connect itself with parts of the Spirit world, a place force users went after they died, but you could travel throughout time and space. If you mastered it, that is.

At the moment, he made a decision that could possibly determine his fate. Rey was destined to kill Snoke: to bring balance to the force once again. He needed to help Rey escape, and he was the only one who could do it. By the time Luke and the others arrived, it might be too late. Besides, he might know of the only way out.

"You've grown soft." Bane muttered under his breath.

Kylo hated the fact that everyone thought this of him. "I disagree, old friend." He stated simply, not wanting to give anymore away. He began to circle Bane, attempting to bring his focus away from the lightsaber at his feet.

"Snoke would be so disappointed in you. To tell you the truth, I saw this coming. Vader too was weak in the end. For force sakes your own _mother_ is a traitor to the Galaxy. One day I only hope she gets what is-."

Kylo raised his hand to force choke Bane, and he stopped mid-sentence.

" _Don't you ever talk about my mother again!_ "

He released Banes's hold, and drew his saber. He was done talking.

Bane mirrored his actions, his red saber illuminating the fire in his eyes. Bane had wanted this all along; he had wanted to face off with Kylo as revenge. Revenge for taking what he thought was his rightful spot in the Knights of Ren. Revenge for taking all of Snoke's attention.

His enemy had the high ground, so Kylo waited for his first move. Finally, Bane jumped, and their sabers gave off blue and red sparks as they collided. Bane began to swing left, then right, and then left again; Kylo countered his every move. He took one step back as Bane tried to trip him, and then pushed forwards. He swung his saber down towards Bane's head, but he blocked his assault.

"You're _weak_! Just like your smuggler father! And how does it feel that you killed him for nothing?"

At long last, the pain of losing his father coursed through his veins like poison. Han Solo's body falling down into the depths of Starkiller Base had haunted his dreams for months, but now it was at the forefront of his mind. And the pain had suddenly become too much. Kylo knew Bane was right- by choosing to follow the light side again, his father's death _was_ in vain. How could Leia ever truly forgive him for that?

What was the point of _anything_ …?

Their sabers met in subsequent flashes of purple light. But somehow amidst the fighting, Kylo once again drew his attention to the archway. His bad habit of self preservation seemed to be fading. In the end, if he couldn't save himself, he would save one of the only people left in this galaxy who cared for him.

Rey.

He was stronger than Bane. he had proved it during their one-on-one combats during his training. While Bane was better at swordsmanship, he was a better force user.

Much stronger.

Taking one deep breath, Kylo closed his eyes for only a second. He drew all his force energy and focused it on his opponent. Bane swiftly fell onto his knees, his saber flying into Kylo's outstretched hand.

The two sabers now forming an 'X' shape, Kylo closed the gap between him and his opponent. He didn't give the man a second glance as the blades sliced with ease through the man's neck.

Without realizing he had been holding his breath, he let the cool air fill his lungs. He had felt no satisfaction as to what he had just done. He just felt… empty. Hollow.

He turned off both lightsabers; the only light now came from the archway. He pulled a few strands of hair back, attempting to pull himself together. The archway beckoned him, taunting him to follow its last visitor.

If he remembered correctly, as long as he and Rey's _souls_ still survived- that is, they weren't killed here- then they should be able to make it back. There was just one problem. No archway could be entered through twice. And if there was another way out, they could end up on the other side of the Galaxy. Or somewhere far worse.

For once in a long time- maybe even his entire life- he sensed the Force would lead him in the right direction. He was making the right choice.

"I'm coming for you, Rey." His voice echoed through the cavern, for no one but himself to hear. After picking up her lightsaber, he entered into the unknown.


End file.
